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The deeper answer to the question, \u201cWhy did you become a first responder\u201d goes beyond Hollywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always enjoyed helping people, and I\u2019ve worked full-time in this county since 1988. It really is like they say, \u2018You\u2019ll never work a day in your life as long as you love your job,\u2019 and I really like to help people.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The EMA is responsible for disasters \u2013 mainly large-scale ones \u2013 natural or manmade, technological incidents, and cyber security. The office also coordinates and plans emergency responses forlocal events such as the 41-A Music Fest, fireworks shows, and Bonnaroo. It has access to state and federal resources if needed, such as Tennessee and Federal Emergency Management Agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur district 6 hazmat team received funding from the federal government in 2003 to purchase two big trucks and trailers. We currently have about 22 hazmat technicians that are qualified to handle the response to most any hazardous materials emergency. We are the only interstate team between here and Chattanooga,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The responsibilities of the office are countless. Lendley and Matt Aussiker are professional board-certified fire investigators, and Lendley and Michael Bonner are death investigators, assisting law enforcement investigations of deaths outside those occurring in hospitals and nursing facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter which hat he\u2019s wearing at the time, his primary goal is the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lendley said, \u201cI learned from an old fire chief, a long time ago, that our salaries are paid by the taxpayers, who he collectively called \u201cMrs. Smith.\u201d He taught me to always remember that when Mrs. Smith calls 911, she\u2019s expecting someone to help. It doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re experts in everything, but we\u2019re going to go and help when she calls. If you take care of Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Smith will take care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While our first responders can\u2019t unsee the horrific things they encounter on their calls, being part of a family of brothers and sisters creates a framework and safe place for openly processing their emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost first responders or public safety folks are like a big family. We may have disagreements in the family, but at the end of the day we\u2019ve got each other\u2019s backs. It\u2019s always good to talk about it once the event is over. Always good to let it out,\u201d Lendley said. \u201cI make myself available, and I\u2019m flattered when they call and talk to me about things, because it takes a pretty strong person to reach out and say they\u2019re having an issue. In public safety, the things I\u2019ve seen over the course of my career stay with me from now on and will be with me even after I\u2019ve retired. Certain smells, sounds, places \u2013 it\u2019s always there. It\u2019s just something you learn to deal with. You have to love this work, that\u2019s for sure, and not everybody\u2019s cut out for that line of work. In my opinion, it takes a special person (not tooting my horn) to do this line of work and stay in it for a long time, seeing and doing some of the things As hard as the calls can be, there are bright spots and ways we can encourage those that are always standing at the ready, to come to our aid. The little things make a difference, like going back to visit after recovering from your traumatic experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lendley said, \u201cWe don\u2019t do it for the glory or appreciation, but it does feel good when you get that attaboy, or that visit from someone you\u2019ve worked on that might not have made it if you hadn\u2019t been there. That\u2019s a pretty special moment. I\u2019ve been honored to meet some of the folks I\u2019ve worked on that I didn\u2019t think had a prayer. They\u2019ve come back months later to say thank you, and that\u2019s worth everything to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another powerful relationship-building tool is personal interaction with first responders and our children. Teach children that they are here to help dispel the misconception that they\u2019re bad guys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t forget about the first responders. They\u2019re here to help and love to have visitors. It\u2019s really good if people will carry their children to the fire department, ambulance stations, and law enforcement offices. People need to interact with their public safety folks, and people need to become familiar with them. We love visitors. When I worked at the fire department, we especially enjoyed showing the trucks and talking about what we do. It helps people understand, and it humanizes what we do. If you come to the station or firehouse and see how we live, you\u2019ll see most of us are pretty nice people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And wouldn\u2019t we rather see the nice people when it\u2019s not an emergency? GN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Allen Lendley, Coffee County EMA manager, reminds us that first responders are humans first, and it’s good to get to know them. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DSC_3909-1024x683.jpg\")
we have to see and do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DSC_3900-1024x683.jpg\")