Gold Cross heading out to assist Texas

Monday, Aug. 28, 2017

RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One truck, two ambulances, 9 first responders; putting their lives on hold to help countless others in Texas.

"Well, it's always exciting to be able to help our citizens, even in other counties. And to help our brother EMT's and our sister EMT's,"

Major Jamey Crosby and the eight people on his team all took off from the Gold Cross at around 3:00 this morning, less than two hours after they got the call from FEMA.

"We were waiting and waiting until FEMA actually activated us and once they did we dropped everything and we were ready to go,"

Major Crosby is leading this team, he has special training in infectious disease spread control.

The rest of the crew is trained in incident command, management, and response.

"We're ready to help everybody that we can,"

Gold Cross CEO Vince Brogdon says this is the first time FEMA has called his crews in to help.

They've helped GEMA before like for Hurricane Matthew, but this is different.

"The last one we were in the state of Georgia, we were close to home. So we could go replace them in an hour or two if we needed," said Brogdon.

This nine person crew has to be ready to stay out there for around seven to ten days. And if FEMA calls again, another ten person crew will roll out with more supplies and vehicles to help.

"We'll just be there, whatever they need, we'll be there to help," said Brogdon.

They could help with search and rescue, evacuations, normal EMT runs, even help the hospitals.

Serving communities they don't even know, just like they do here.