Ashford Rescue - 50 Years

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Aug 01 2024 2:51 PM

ASHFORD:    On July 21, 2024 Ashford Ambulance and Rescue held a celebration of 50 years in service.

The beginning of emergency medical services in the field was just beginning at the start of the 1970's.

What was the Medical Center but now Southeast Health, the physicians were not embracing the idea of field emergency medical services. Flowers Hospital Doctors Griffin and Page did, and they were in on the beginning of teaching emergency medical services.

In Ashford Mr. James Smith, who operated a radio and TV repair service in downtown Ashford, attended the second class of the emergency medical services. Smith purchased a ambulance which he kept in front of his business in downtown Ashford. Smith had a 911 phone and took calls for EMS and Police. Ashford Police had a small building, abou the size of a porta-potty near the railroad tracks.

When Smith would get a EMS call he would walk out on the sidewalk, grab someone walking by and tell them, "let's go - I need your help" and away they would go.

A group of men and women went to James Smith in 1974, in discussion, they formed a non profit entity, purchsed the ambulance from Mr. Smith, and thus the birth of Ashford Ambulance and Rescue.

Filed in Houston County Probate Court under Probate Judge Robert Stembridge on July 22, 1974 at 2:48 PM, were the articles of Incorporation. The original board of officers: James Smith, J.A. Posey, Lee Smith, John Lewis. The officers were:  James Smith - Chief of Fire Department/Coordinator for Fire and Rescue Service; J.A. ( Jimmy ) Posey - Captain of Rescue Squad; Lee Smith - 1st Lieutenant Secretary/Training; John Lewis - 2nd Lieutenant Equipment Officer.

The first active officers were: Billy Daughtry, David Edmonson, Michael Goodman, Bobby Henderson, Stevie Hicks, Dwight Jeffcoat, Adolphus Knight, Lawrence Lamb ( Boots ), James McArdle, Roger Nall, John Summerford, and James Wallace.

The Articles of Incorporation were signed on July 16, 1974.

Now serving as Cowarts Volunteer Fire Chief, Roger Nall keeps everything. He had his application for membership filed on May 23, 1974. At age 24, weighing 140 pounds, a EMT 2, Nall ran with Ashford Rescue for 40 years before retiring only to fire services.

Ashford Rescue operated for a number of years with many good people stepping up. In 1988 Diane Watson became a member of Ashford Rescue. In the early 1990's the Posey's moved to the fire services and Diane and her husband Tommy took over the reigns of Ashford Ambulance and Rescue.

While Diane's health does not allow her to makes EMS calls, Diane still keeps herslef in the know and keeps up with what all is going on. Diane's husband, Tommy, retired from the postal service, is available to make runs. In fact Tommy responded to and drove the ambulance to the hospital of the patient that CPR was in progress on today.

Myrene Granger serves as President of the Board of Director's of Ashford Ambulance and Rescue. Jarrod Whitten is Operations Manager and he and Toy Watson are full time and manage Ashford Ambulance and Rescue, Inc.

A very important part of a good EMS service is on hands daily namagement. With that comes proper PCR'S ( Patient Care Report's ) which are completed by the EMT/Advanced?Paramedic on the ambulance treating the patient. That report is then entered into the computer system which the billing service uses to send bills to the insurance providers.

Whitten has attended schools on billing and does most of - if not all of the billing for Ashford Rescue. Whitten also serves as Treasurer for Houston County EMS Board.

Today, August 1, 2024, the call dispatched at 1:19 PM of a critical injury - multi patient wreck with entrappment, Ashford Ambulance and Rescue rolled three ambulances, Cottonwood Ambulance and Rescue rolled one ambulance, and all persons were at the hospitals by 1:44 PM.

Ashford Rescue has clean facilities, multiple ambulances all kept spotless, training clasees, equipment and supplies. They are responsive, professional and provides EMS services from the beginning of the city limits of Cowarts where they meet Dothan to the river, parts of Webb, area south of Gordon and south of Ashford in parts of Lovetown. They also serve as backup to Columbia Rescue and Cottonwood Rescue.

Ashford Rescue responds to around 1,700 calls per year.

ASHFORD AMBULANCE AND RESCUE thanks the community for their 50 years of support. The receive the largest percentage of revenue from the tag sales. Houston County did fund $ 27,000.00 a year but when the Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe - D1 Curtis Harvey, D2 Tracy Adams, D3 Ricky Herring and D4 James Ivey took over the Houston County Commission they cut all EMS funding down to $ 22,000.00 paid in quartly installments.

Cowarts Mayor Randy Rowland and members of the Town of Cowarts City Council steps up to the plate and financially contributes to Ashford Ambulance and Rescue. Mayor Rowland and Cowarts Town Council see's the great value in Ashford Ambulance and Rescue and supports them greatly.

The City of Ashford makes a "token" contribution to Ashford Ambulance and Rescue. THESE ARE RICKEY STOKES WORDS NOT ASHFORD AMBULANCE AND RESCUE public record, it is awful the little financial support the Town of Ashford gives to Ashford Ambulance and Rescue. At some of their ages on tvhe town council they should be stepping up to the plate more!!!! But it is embarrasing the little support. And someone needs to educate their city attorney on the City funding the non profit EMS Service. He is a lot "uneducated" on the matter!!! When you see the Ashford Mayor and Council let them know you are embarrased about them in their support financially of Ashford Ambulance and Rescue. Get on their buttocks. 

Because like today, no one made an appointment for this wreck. And Ashford Ambulance and Rescue and Ashford Fire stepped up to the plate and handled it with precision.

THANK YOU to all who have contributed to the 50 years of Ashford Ambulance and Rescue.

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