Palmyra treats first responders
Images from the 9/11 attacks taken a decade ago were displayed Monday in the cafeteria of Palmyra Medical Center. The hospital provided meals to roughly 100 first responders in the Albany area in appreciation for their efforts.
Jennifer Maddox Parks
ALBANY, Ga. — The emergency medical personnel, firefighters and police officers in the Albany area got a treat from Palmyra Medical Center on Monday.
In appreciation of the work performed by the community’s first responders, the hospital sent them lunch.
“It’s very nice just to be recognized,” said Dougherty EMS Director Bobby Tripp. “The recognition, and the fact they did this for us, is important.”
The contribution from Palmyra was meant to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.
Several hundred of those 3,000 were first responders.
“Recognizing first responders has been a common theme for 9/11,” Tripp said. “When people think of the sacrifices made …
“We’ve got people locally that do this work. They put their life on the line. It’s nice for people to recognize that.”
The 9/11 attacks gave Tripp a new perspective on life and on what he does.
“It changed my life, my way of thinking about America,” he said. “It made me appreciate my country more.”
Jason Akins, the EMS coordinator at Palmyra, was the one who came up with the idea of giving out the meals.
“We wanted to tell everyone thank you for the job they do,” Akins said. “(A first responder’s job) is one of those things where you don’t get a very good thank you.”
When the 9/11 anniversary was approaching, Akins was thinking of what it represented to first responders.
“It shows the best of the spirit of what these guys do,” he said. “It takes a special person to run into what others are running away from.”
When adding those who came directly to the hospital along with those who had meals delivered to them by volunteers, there were approximately 100 first responders who were provided lunch by the hospital Monday afternoon.
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