EMS Family Day celebrates first responders -

Jada Coker, operations manager for Baptist Priority Ambulance Service, organized an EMS Family Day at the Park Along the River this past Saturday.

The event was partly to mark EMS Appreciation Week, which was May 16-22.

Saturday’s gathering included food, a fire truck bouncy house for kids and plenty of socializing.

The cooking part of the day gave Union County EMA Director Curt Clayton an opportunity to break in the cooking trailer that was recently donated by another county. The trailer has a full kitchen and generator to be self-sufficient. It can not only be used to prepare meals in the event of a disaster but also can help during fundraising events for county volunteer fire departments.

Coker has had similar events in the past, but not quite on this scale. She said previous days were for city emergency responders only, simply because of limited space at the ambulance garage where they were held.

She decided it would be better to move this year’s family day to the Park Along the River so emergency responders from throughout the county could be invited.

This was the 46^th year for EMS Appreciation Week, honoring medical personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency responders.