The Shannon County First Responders would like to express their gratitude to the people of Shannon County for their support during the recent pandemic period. Donations to their donation boxes around the county have increased greatly. Additionally several local individuals have made generous donations as well to help keep the community safe.
Early on in the pandemic, the shortage of medical quality (N95) masks was a difficulty for the First Responders. They were able to obtain a few from community donations, and the Shannon County Health Department and the Shannon County Emergency Management Office generously donated some. This type of mask is essential to protect them and their patients if a case of Covid-19 is suspected.
The number of cases of Covid-19 in our county has increased over the past two weeks. Luckily few of these people have required emergency medical care. If they do, the Shannon County First Responders will be there, and thanks to community donations they will have the proper safety equipment. Their supply is limited though, there is a chance they could run out if the situation worsens. They continue to seek donations, grants and other funding sources for proper protective equipment and other supplies.
The mission of the Shannon County First Responders is to support local ambulance services by arriving first and providing immediate first aid and medical support as needed until the ambulance arrives. All first responders are unpaid volunteers, on call twenty four hours a day. All First Responders are trained to at least the Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) level, and some are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and nurses. The First Responders do not receive any funding from insurance, medical bills or fire dues; they are entirely funded by donations.
To learn more about the Shannon County First Responders, check out their Facebook page. If you have medical training and would like to join, please send a message through the page.
