During the Region Eight Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Awards Banquet held in Moultrie, Georgia, on Tuesday evening, Dougherty County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was awarded the Region Eight Service of the Year for 2019. The award represented the department’s medical commitment to the citizens of Dougherty County.

The award recipient is selected based on the quality and commitment of excellent medical care, as well as community involvement by the 911 EMS Service. An advanced life support ambu-lance service providing quality pre-hospital medical care and transportation to the citizens of Dougherty County 24 hours a day, Dougherty County EMS also provides community service and education to the public by teaching CPR and first aid and offered blood pressure screenings.

Dougherty County EMS responds to an average of 22,000 calls per year with an average re-sponse time of five minutes. The department uses eight Type I one-ton truck ambulances and four first responder vehicles. With 81 total employees and an annual attrition rate of approxi-mately one percent, the EMS staff includes 68 paramedics, 11 Emergency Medical Technicians, an Administrative Assistant and Administrative Secretary.

“The staff of Dougherty County EMS have worked hard to provide efficient and professional medical care and community involvement to Dougherty County,” said Sam Allen, Director of EMS. “This award honors the hard work and commitment of the staff of Dougherty County EMS and I would like to thank the Region 8 EMS Services Counsel for recognizing the staff of Dougherty County EMS with this highly prestigious award.”

Dougherty County EMS is actively involved with area businesses for disaster planning and at-tend local schools and churches to explain how emergency medical care can save lives. They co-ordinate programs such as STOP the Bleed and Opioid Awareness to demonstrate life saving in-formation for medical treatment to helping save lives.