First Responders
By: Mike Moritz
Updated: September 10, 2007
Emergency responders are being recognized in a civic display at the Railroad Museum.
Allen Johnson says "appreciation of the first responders, who at anytime have to work floods, disasters, tornadoes."
911 communications dispatchers will be joined by representatives from several emergency agencies.
Allen Johnson says "we have the police department, fire department, red cross, sheriffs department, we have air med, and we have medical people."
Air Med is often the first to arrive at a disaster scene.
Jeff Hameister says "we work with the city every year, we do a disaster plan and coordinate. If we need a response we can all be on the same radio frequency. In turn we also work with the hospitals."
Coordination with law enforcement on the ground is crucial and requires inter-agency communication.
Jeff Hameister says "they help us setting up landing zones. We we come in at night we cannot see as well. They assist with a landing zone. The rural EMS carry a GPS."
The City of San Angelo leads major disaster drills twice a year.
Jeff Hameister says "one is called a paper disaster and the other a real live. A situation like a tornado or a flood or major plane crash at Mathis Field."
