Local first responders recognized for hurricane relief efforts

November 1, 2024

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Staff,

JACKSON, Tenn. — First responders who were deployed to support Hurricane Helene victims were honored at a ceremony.

Dozens of West Tennessee first responders were deployed for two weeks to areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

Friday, those organizations were honored at the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department. Organizations that were sent included JMCRHD, Madison County Fire Rescue, medical center emergency medical services, Madison County Emergency Management and the service of Lexington and Decatur county EMS.

“The state and this region, West Tennessee, really appreciates what they did. They took time away from their families and their jobs and went and volunteered to go over there and take care of the people that had great needs,” said Tennessee Senator Ed Jackson.

Senator Jackson said we have the best strike team in the state. The Director of West Tennessee EMS told us that strike teams are trained to go quickly. While deployed, responders set up a mobile field hospital, transported patients, assisted with search and recovery efforts and provided support to the local emergency operations center.

“Bridges and roadways were totally wiped out. They had no way to get to the areas that they needed to go to with those who had great needs, so they had to do anything they could to respond and get healthcare to those that were in need,” said Glynn Moody, director of West TN EMS.

During the ceremony, 25 honorees were presented a letter of gratitude signed by former President Donald Trump.

“West Tennessee Healthcare Medical Center EMS was able to send 6 ambulances and ambulance service of Lexington was able to send an ambulance as well. So, we were called early that morning and were told there was a possibility and we started working on it and were able to deploy those ambulances in a timely fashion,” said Moody.

260 patients were transported because the hospital in the area is completely underwater.

“That’s a lot of patients when you field that many patients through the ambulance services. They were transported over an hour to hour and a half one way because all of the services in the local area were devastated,” said Moody.

Members of the honorees families were also present at the ceremony.