Dougherty Co. EMS helps with Hurricane Idalia recovery in Valdosta

DOUGHERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - The Dougherty County EMS sent crews to Valdosta to help in the recovery from Hurricane Idalia.

“We are committed to supporting our neighboring communities during times of crisis, and we are proud to lend our expertise and resources to provide critical medical assistance to those in need,” Dougherty County Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard said.

Idalia swept through South Georgia with about 65-70 mile per hour winds, and nearly seven inches of rain, leaving thousands without electricity, hundreds of downed trees, damaged buildings and dozens of destroyed homes.

At least one person was reported dead on Wednesday while cleaning up after the hurricane in Lowndes County.

The State Office of EMS, Region 8, requested the Dougherty County EMS to provide aid in Valdosta. Crews left EMS headquarters at 7 a.m. on Friday to help in a 12-hour shift for 911 medical and trauma calls in Valdosta.

“When a Hurricane strikes a community, it can overload the local EMS Service with additional 911 medical and trauma calls,” Dougherty County EMS Director Sam Allen said. “We have been requested to assist South Georgia Medical Center EMS crews during the post-Hurricane Idalia recovery. We appreciated the area EMS Services that came in and helped us during Hurricane Michael. We are honored to be able to return assistance and help treat and transport patients as they go through their disaster recovery.”

Allen was appointed to the Georgia Emergency Medical Service Advisory Council (EMSAC) in August, making him the second person from the area to be assigned to the Region 8 EMSAC Council.