Georgia Expo Promotes First Responder Health and Wellness

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(TNS) — For Keith Hood, the First Responders Health and Wellness Expo held Thursday at Albany State University’s West Campus was an opportunity to learn how to better do his job with Dougherty County Emergency Medical Services.

Hood didn’t need training as a paramedic, a job he did for a decade. He was seeking pointers for his position as chaplain for the agency. Hood, a Christian minister, recently took on the unpaid role at the request of Dougherty County EMS Director Sam Allen.

“He saw the need and he asked me,” Hood said. “At this point, I’m learning. I want to help where I can.”

As someone who has done the job as a paramedic, Hood has seen the traumatic events that first responders encounter on a regular basis.

“Frankly, I got kind of burned out” during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. “I really did. I didn’t have anything left.”

In his new role, the evangelist who has spent time as a missionary in France and Mali, said he is ready to do whatever he can to assist EMT personnel who need a sounding post.

“EMS is tough,” he said. “If you want to talk to me, I’m there to talk to you. I’ll help you carry that load. Because I’ve been in that ambulance, we can talk.

“Sam’s been looking for somebody that will fit. He said I will fit.”

The second annual expo, hosted by the Albany State University Police Department, was a chance for first responders in the area to discover what resources are available to help them deal with the stress of their jobs, Sgt. Courtney Leverette, one of the organizers at Albany State, said.

“The purpose is we’re trying to get first responders the wellness and mental health resources they need,” she said.

The event targeted police officers, communications officers, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency personnel. It featured food trucks, door prizes, contests and the opportunity for participants to receive up to four hours of training.

The presentations included a demonstration on making fruit smoothies, meant to encourage first responders to include healthy eating in their regimen. Often, Leverette said, those busy workers will grab a meal at a fast food restaurant.

“It’s the easiest thing to grab,” she said. “What you put in your body affects you. We have peer support. We want them to know there are different agencies that will help you if you are in a time of need. We can let people know it’s OK to get help.”

EMS Director Allen, who was not at the expo, said that Hood is a good addition as the chaplain.

“We had been looking for a chaplain for some time,” he said during a telephone interview. “He understands what the medics see and go through. If you have somebody who has this experience, it can help lower PTSD in first responders. This is just another tool in the tool box, so if somebody on staff has PTSD we can respond to it early.”