The Exchange Club of Albany presented first responders awards to Albany and Dougherty County for 2019. Dougherty County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Paramedic, Samantha Figueroa, received the 2019 Award as Dougherty County EMS Paramedic of the Year.

Starting her career with Dougherty County EMS in February of 2016, Figueroa has responded to over 4,197 medical and trauma-related calls in Albany and Dougherty County. During 2019, she responded to 1,237 911 emergency medical calls that included 84 automobile accidents, 92 chest pain calls, 107 fall-related calls, 253 general sickness patients, seven gunshot victims, and 694 various medical and trauma-related calls.

Serving as an instructor in several specialized areas of Paramedic Emergency Medical Care, Figueroa is a test evaluator for the National Registry EMT and Paramedic Skills Assessment.

She is also a clinical preceptor for EMT-B’s, EMT-A’s and Paramedic students who are still in school.

These students ride under the strict observation of a clinical instructor to gain the necessary hands-on skills of patient care.

“Samantha has become an integral part of Dougherty County EMS and serves the citizens of Albany and Dougherty County with the highest level of medical care treatment,” said Sam Allen, Director of Dougherty County EMS.

With the onset of increased overdose calls in Dougherty County, Figueroa responded to a 22-year-old unresponsive male sitting in a vehicle with a needle in his arm from a heroin overdose in July of 2019. Dougherty County EMS and Albany Police Department (APD) staff were able to finally gain entry into the vehicle, where the EMS crew removed the patient from his car. Once inside the ambulance, Figueroa began treating the unresponsive male, who was placed on the cardiac monitor with IV access, oxygen and Narcan being administered. Shortly, he began to come around and speak to Figueroa.

While working with this patient, Figueroa encountered someone running up to the ambulance yelling for help. A child had fallen into a pool at a hotel across the street. Figueroa’s partner took over the overdose patient, while she, along with APD officers, ran across the street to find a three-year-old male had fallen into the pool. She began CPR, while APD officers assisted with getting the child to the ambulance and additional backup ambulances were called.

Once inside the ambulance, the child’s airway was suctioned and water removed. CPR procedures were continued and slowly, the child began to breathe and respond. He was then placed on the cardiac monitor, where two IV’s were established as the child slowly responded to the treatments.

She also monitored the treatment by her partner to the overdose patient, while she attended to the three-year-old drowning victim. When back-up crews arrived, she transferred care of the overdose patient to another crew, while she continued to administer her Paramedic skills on the child. Both victims survived as a result of Figueroa’s hard work.

“These victims survived as a direct result of the high level of care and skill knowledge administered by Samantha,” said Allen. “Our department is honored to be selected by the Exchange Club of Albany to recognize one of our staff members each year with this award.”