Fire and Ambulance services to merge
Change can be good
by Terry Toole

Best of the Best Awards - (L-R) Cadet Firefighterof the Year-Justin Whitaker, Firefighterof the Year and Leadership Award- Ralph Rutledge, Fireman Rookie of the Year-Tracy Odom; Call of the Year - EMS officers, A. J. Ellis, Reginald Hall, Nikie Marshburn, Tony Williams, Paramedic of the Year - Tracy Kimbrel, and EMT of the Year - Donald Freeman.

The Colquitt/Miller County Volunteer Fire Department and the Miller County Emergency Medical Services met together for the first time making plans to combine the two emergency

ganizations at the 24th ann

ual Christmas and Awards

This historic event took place Tuesday, December 11, at Cotton Hall.

Fire Officer, Ken Roberts opened the meeting with a welcome to an over-flow crowd and asked the Rev. Kent Barwick to bless the meeting and the food. A delicious meal was prepared for everyone present.

Chief Craig Tully then introduced the featured speaker, David Wall, Georgia Fire Academy director. Tully stated that it was indeed an honor and privilege to have a man of this caliber to be in Colquitt to speak to the group. Director Wall started by saying that he tried to go by the "Three S's," Sincere, Short and Sit Down.

Chief Craig Tully introduces guest speaker, Georgia Fire Department Director David Wall.

The speaker gave the Colquitt/Miller County Volunteer Fire Department high marks. He noted that many of the state's departments were looking at this department with envy and high praise in terms of where it has come from and where it is going. Director Wall stated that a department must be a team and have faith in one another and have passion for being a fireman. He stated that to combine to very good departments, fire and emergency medical services (EMS), is a monumental undertaking but a very good one. Both departments are good, and they already work together very well. He observed that firefightersand EMS personnel are already at the top of the list for having the most respected jobs in the world. They are viewed as leaders in their field of work and in their community. Director Wall was presented with a basket full of mayhaw products, which he most graciously accepted.

Dean King, area chief firefighting training officerfrom Donalsonville, had only kind words for the Colquitt/Miller County group and how its members cooperate with neighbors.

Mayor Jerry Chapman welcomed all the guests to Colquitt and presented Emanuel "Shadow" Haire, with a letter/plaque (see article on page 2). Commissioner Barbie Womble thanked all those who were trying to make this change a positive one. City Manager Cory Thomas thanked everyone for their help and leadership and for being ambassadors for this area. He stated that he knew that combining the two departments would be a positive change for 2008.

Jeff Braswell presented Chief Tully with a gift from the department and told of what a good, Christian leader they had. Jennifer Trawick made a presentation from the Miller County Therapy Department in memory of Kim Tully who was killed in a vehicle accident this year.

The coveted awards were presented next. Rod Bryan presented the Cadet Firefighterof the Year to Justin Whitaker.

Chief Tully always gives praise to his firemen prior to the presentations, but this year he also gave high praise to the members of the EMS.

"They are awesome, and I love them everyone. We in Miller County are so very fortunate to have the very best of both worlds in the firefighters and the EMS. They have always worked good together, and they will continue to do even better as we bring these two finegroups together," Tully stated.

Plaques were presented as follows: EMT of the Year, Donald Freeman; Paramedic of the Year, Tracy Kimbrel; Call of the Year, Shift A - Donald Freeman, Tracy Kimbrel, A. J. Ellis and Nikie Mashburn, Shift B - Reginald Hall, Tony Williams and Randy Williams.

Firefighterof the Year and- Leadership plaques went to Ralph Rutledge. Rookie of the Year was Tracy Odom.