Maui, Hawaii

I recently visited Maui, Hawaii in March. It has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It took me all day to fly there and after switching planes in Chicago, San Diego, and Los Angeles. I arrived in Maui late in the evening around 8pm and then traveled another forty five minutes to the hotel. I really didnt get to see alot on the flight nor on the trip to the hotel since it was dark. Once I got to the hotel, I was amazed. I stayed at the Sheraton Resort - Maui which was an amazing place and located right on the ocean. The next morning, I awoke with the sights of a true paradise. The weather was awesome as was all the sites. It is definitely one of the places I will be visiting again...

Georgia Governor's Public Safety Award

Erlanger Flight Medic, 3 Catoosa County Firefighters Given Heroism Awards

October 24, 2008

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue announced the recipients of the Governor’s Public Safety Awards at a ceremony in Forsyth recognizing 15 public safety professionals for acts of heroism and four for contributions to the profession. One of the winners was an Erlanger Medical Center LifeForce flight medic and three were from Catoosa County Fire and Rescue.Erlanger's Stacy Prater, while driving home from work on July 18, 2007, noticed flames coming from the bottom of the car in front of him. He honked his horn at the driver, while calling 911.When the vehicle stopped, the undercarriage was engulfed in flames. The female driver got out and pulled two children out. She ran away from the car screaming that another child was inside.

Medic Prater could see the child strapped inside and entered the heavily involved car to get the child out. His first attempts were unsuccessful so he used his medical shears to cut the straps on the seat, rescuing the child.Gov. Perdue said, "Prater's quick and brave actions prevented what could have been a tragic ending for these four people."On Sept. 3, 2007, Catoosa County rescue engines were dispatched to a multi-unit apartment fire in Ringgold. While en route, 911 reported a woman trapped upstairs in her apartment.Under extreme heat and heavy smoke conditions, firefighters Drew Hood and Josh Shoemaker entered the apartment building without the protection of a hose line, made their way upstairs, and found the victim lying beside the bed.She was extricated out of the building and delivered to a waiting medic unit. Firefighter Scott Phillips pulled a hose line to the front of the apartment and charged it. He placed a ladder to the second floor window and was attempting to enter the window in search of the victim. Firefighters Hood and Shoemaker then used the hose line to extinguish a heavily involved kitchen fire.Gov. Perdue said, "These three dedicated firefighters are credited with saving this person's life." The recipients were given medallions and their names were added to the GPSA monument at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. “Georgia is proud to recognize our law enforcement officers and emergency responders for their commitment to Georgia’s public safety,” said Gov. Perdue. “These individuals exhibit courage and dedication every day to keep us safe.” The annual GPSA program began in 1998 to recognize the outstanding accomplishments and commitment of Georgia’s public safety community. “We are honored to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Georgia’s public safety professionals who risk their lives daily and sacrifice time away from their families to protect our citizens,” said J. Dale Mann, GPSA committee chairman and GPSTC director. The GPSA program recognizes public safety professionals in the following two categories: · Act of Heroism – Recognizes those who performed an exceptional deed which resulted in saving lives and/or protecting property. · Outstanding Contribution which Enhanced the Profession – Job performance which had an overwhelming positive affect on the overall profession. Personnel from each discipline of public safety as well as state employees with public safety authority were eligible to receive the award. Nominations were submitted by local governments, state agencies, associations, police departments, sheriff’s offices, correctional facilities, fire departments, 9-1-1 communications, emergency medical services and emergency management agencies. Recipients of the 2008 Governor’s Public Safety Awards are: Heroism Recipients · Daniel Shane Burke – Lieutenant – Sylvania Fire Department · Duane Owens – Firefighter – Sylvania Fire Department · Trevin A. Moore – Corporal – Sylvania Police Department · Sammie Joe Cephus – Captain – Montezuma Fire & Emergency Services · Dorminey McCrae – Officer – Tifton Police Department · Stacy Prater – Flight Medic – Erlanger Health System, LIFE FORCE · Frank G. Rhodes – Surveillance Officer – Georgia Department of Corrections · Drew Hood – Private – Catoosa County Fire-Rescue · Scott Phillips – Captain – Catoosa County Fire-Rescue · Josh Shoemaker – Private – Catoosa County Fire-Rescue · R. S. Caviness – Sergeant – DeKalb County Police Department · Michael Dahnke – Corporal – Columbus Police Department · Jason Elliott – Sergeant – Brunswick Police Department · James M. Huth – Police Officer Senior – Gwinnett County Police Department · Scott Short – Sergeant First Class – Georgia State Patrol Contribution to Profession Recipients · M. L. “Bud” Owens – Director of EMS – Floyd Hospital EMS · Dr. Robbie Friedmann – Distinguished Chair of Public Safety Partnerships and Director, Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange · R. L. “Chuck” Kelley – Chief – Stone Mountain Park Department of Public Safety · Don T. Cargile – EMS Director – Athens Regional Medical Center EMS