Crockett County first responders honored with ceremony, receive donation

ALAMO, Tenn. — A community honored its first responders, and got a special donation along the way.

A special luncheon honored first responders in Crockett County and what they do for the community.

“Somebody has to be calm in the situation, because when somebody calls 911, that is probably the first time they have ever called 911,” said Gail Wallace, a Crockett County 911 supervisor.

“We are normal people put into abnormal situations, regularly,” said Chris Milton, a paramedic supervisor in Crockett County.

Crockett County Ambulance Service Director, Stephen Sutton came up with the idea after hearing the story of how Crockett County first responders saved a man’s life after he was choking and in cardiac arrest.

The group of dispatchers, EMS responders and the air evacuation team were all given special plaques for their work.

“We were lucky that day. We were all there, we all worked together and got everybody going,” Wallace said.

“Here it is, just a few weeks down the road, and we hear that he is improving every day. So that’s remarkable,” Milton said.

According to Sutton, people with similar circumstances have under a 2% survival rate. Now, the man’s recovery is well on its way.

“We don’t get ‘thank yous’, and we don’t know the outcome. It’s great to know that this was a great outcome,” Wallace said.

And to top it off, the luncheon wasn’t just an awards ceremony.

At the event, the Friends of Heart Foundation donated eight AED’s, worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Now, first responders will have another tool to quickly save the lives of rural Tennesseans.

“I live in a rural community, and it’s exciting to see these advancements be made to provide better services to the citizens,” said Kent Martin, Senior Program Director for the Air Evac Lifeteam.

For the first responders, the luncheon highlights how much the community really appreciates them.

“To come and see us today, and to present that, it’s very very humbling to have an award like that,” Milton said.

Crockett County EMA also received a ventilator donation.