Floyd Emergency Medical Services marked their one year anniversary of full-time service in east Polk County last week.

Floyd began providing ambulance service to residents in Rockmart and surrounding communities in July of 2009, opening two strategically placed EMS stations at 1340 Chattahoochee Drive off of U.S. Hwy 278 and on West Elm Street.

Since that time, Floyd ambulances have answered over 800 calls for emergency assistance, but first responder health care is not the only role Floyd EMS has played in Polk.

The organization has sponsored the Rockmart football league, the Kiwanis pancake breakfast, the Rockmart High School wrestling team, National Night Out and the annual Homespun Festival.

In addition, Floyd provides medical coverage for Rockmart High School and Rockmart Middle School for sporting events as well as the annual Ride for the Cure and other youth sports in the community.

“During the past year, we have developed relationships with many wonderful people in the community,” said Chuck Thaxton, paramedic, EMS captain and Polk County Operations manager for Floyd EMS. “We are here to provide the utmost care to the citizens of Polk County. The staff has been wonderful to work with. They have all gone above and beyond this past year.”

“Rockmart and Polk County citizens are important to Floyd,” said Bud Owens, director of Floyd EMS. “In addition to emergency medical services, Floyd provides primary care, urgent care, hospice, rehabilitation services and breast health care right here in Polk County. Floyd has invested in this community.”

Over the past 12 months Floyd has donated seven Automated External Defibrillators to the Rockmart Fire and Police Departments. These portable defibrillators are placed throughout the community to ensure that emergency cardiac assistance is immediately available. Floyd also has provided medical supplies, equipment and first responder training to the Aragon, Rockmart and Polk County fire departments and the Aragon Police department.

Also, Floyd EMS has provided 120 area residents with CPR training, served 300 people at Polk County health fairs and provided free monthly blood pressure screenings and stroke screenings at the Rockmart Senior Center and at local pharmacies.

But the focus has not been solely on medicine. As a good corporate citizen, Floyd coordinated the annual Toys for Tots campaign and collected over 1,000 toys that were distributed to children in Polk County. Little Green, a robotic mascot ambulance Floyd EMS uses to teach health and safety lessons to young children, visited 250 pre-K and kindergarten students in Polk County schools. And, students at Rockmart and Cedartown middle and high schools learned about health careers, medical equipment and CPR from EMS team members last year.

Also, 950 children learned about bicycle safety and received free bicycle helmets from Floyd at three bike rodeos and safety presentations in the community and in schools. And, all fifth graders in Cedartown elementary schools learned about bicycle safety in special presentations from Floyd medics.

“All of Polk County has welcomed Floyd with open arms, and we are grateful,” Owens said. “It has been a pleasure to become a part of this thriving community over the past year. We look forward to another year of service, not only through the provision of EMS services, but through our primary care and urgent care centers as well as our rehabilitation, hospice, breast care and all of the many other services we provide.”