EMS incidents dominate calls for firefighters

The West Jackson Fire Department responded to a number of EMS calls during last week’s winter storm, according to incident reports.

Many of the patients complained of chest pains or difficulty breathing with a number of them taken to area hospitals.

Although none of the incident reports mention it, fire chief Ben Stephens said last week that its squad was used to get Jackson County ambulances unstuck on icy roads three times.

Other Incidents
Other incidents reported to the West Jackson Fire Department last week included:

•public service at an Emma Circle, Braselton, address, where someone reported that snow had built up on an outdoor umbrella. The caller said the snow was falling and it was dangerous. Firefighters helped remove the hazard.

•person in distress at a Ga. Hwy. 124, Braselton, address, where a firefighter came upon a stranded motorist on the state highway during icy weather conditions. He helped the motorist and another firefighter helped get them on the road again.

•no incident at an E. Jefferson Street, Braselton, address, where someone called the fire department and said they could smell natural gas at the Hoschton post office. Firefighters checked the area and spoke with an employee, but couldn’t find anything.

•no incident at a Ga. Hwy. 53, Braselton, address, where someone reported the smell of gas in the area of Bill Watkins Road. Firefighters checked the area, but couldn’t smell the odor. The caller had left the area and was unable to be located.

•EMS call at a Ga. Hwy. 53, Braselton, address, where an elderly man was having an asthma attack. He was taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at a Kings Road, Braselton, address, where a woman was complaining of chest pain and bad cough. She was taken to a hospital, after asking to be taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at a Charlie Cooper Road, Braselton, address, where a woman was having difficulty breathing. She was taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at an Ednaville Road, Braselton, address, where firefighters were told there was an unknown problem. A woman was lying in a recliner and family members said she had been sleeping a lot. An EMS worker told the family to keep the woman on oxygen at all times. The EMS worker received a patient refusal to be taken to the hospital.

•EMS call at an Indian Creek Way, Hoschton, address, where a man was complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath. He was taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at a Dumar Lane, Braselton, address, where an elderly woman was having difficulty breathing. She refused to be taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at a Garner Road, Braselton, address, where a woman was reported as being ill. She was sitting on a couch when firefighters arrived and they checked her vital signs. She was taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at a Wood Crest Lane, Braselton, address, where a patient had a stroke. The patient was sitting in a chair at a sink and vomiting when firefighters arrived. The patient was taken to a hospital.

•EMS call at a Poplar Springs Road, Braselton, address, where a mental patient was complaining about chest pains and respiratory distress. The woman initially wasn’t combative with firefighters, but then didn’t let them take her vital signs. The woman wanted to be taken to the BJC Medical Center, which she was by an ambulance.