12/14/2011
South Georgia Medical Center’s Chief of Mobile Healthcare Services, Tim Brogdon, was honored with the Governor’s Public Safety Award on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at The Capitol in Atlanta. The Governor’s Public Safety Awards recognize individuals for heroic actions and overwhelming contributions to public safety professions.
“Tim Brogdon is one of the most respected EMS Directors in Georgia,” said Don Cargile, Director of Marketing and Community Relations with National EMS in Athens, GA. “No one is more deserving of this award for his 40 consecutive years of EMS service advancing pre-hospital care in Georgia.” SGMC’s Chief Executive Officer Randy Sauls said, “Our EMS is considered a model program for EMS around the state and nation, largely because of the efforts of Tim Brogdon.
He is a staunch advocate for state-of-the-art technology and advanced training. He is a mentor to his team. ”Brogdon joined the EMS staff of SGMC in 1971 and was one of the first EMTs (# 00057) and Paramedics (#00034) in the State of Georgia. He became nationally registered as an EMT in 1973, and has served as EMS Director at SGMC for almost 37 years, one of the longest-serving directors in Georgia.
During this time, Tim has worked with several agencies in developing programs for the enhancement of the EMS system in his South Georgia service area. In 1979, he worked with the Valdosta Civitan Club and the South Georgia Medical Center Auxiliary to purchase the “Jaws of Life” to cut victims out of crushed vehicles. His was also one of the first EMS directors in the state to have ECG telemetry equipment on board each ambulance.
Through the years, South Georgia Medical Center’s EMS has made numerous advancements in not only pre-hospital care, but also in continuing education and injury prevention programs for his community. According to Cargile, Brogdon has been a positive EMS role model serving on numerous boards and associations.
Brogdon served ten years as a member of the Georgia EMS Advisory Council and has worked with the Georgia Office of EMS in revising the Rules and Regulations for Ambulance Services. He is also a charter member of the National Association of EMTs and the Georgia Association of EMS, where he has served as vice-president.
He has also served as President of the Southwest Georgia EMS Directors Association and has been a long-standing member of the Southwest Georgia Region 8 EMS Council. In 2008, Brogdon received the prestigious John B. O’Neal, III, MD, EMS Pioneer Award for his unselfish contributions to the development of Georgia’s EMS System. This award was presented at the State EMS Annual Banquet. The Governor’s Public Safety Awards program was initiated in 1998 to provide an opportunity for the men and women in the public safety family to be recognized for outstanding service to their communities and contributions to their profession.
As per former Governor Zell Miller, who established these awards, “While we have appropriately honored those who have fallen, I would like to establish an organization that would also honor those, who by virtue of their personal integrity and determination, make public safety the respectable and necessary profession it is.” Governor Nathan Deal has committed to the continuation of the GPSA program and was present for the awards ceremony. For more information, contact SGMC’s Community Relations office at 229.259.4420.
