DECATUR COUNTY, GA (WTXL) — The Spirit of Blue Foundation awarded the Grady County Sheriff's Office $20,000 to replace outdated safety equipment, including 25 bulletproof vests and 25 trauma kits for deputies.
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The trauma kits give deputies quick access to supplies like tourniquets, bleeding-control gauze, and trauma dressings. The vests help protect deputies in the field.
The grant comes as Grady County EMS continues to respond to hundreds of trauma-related calls each year. In 2025, EMS responded to about 460 trauma-related calls in Grady County, up from about 420 in 2024.
Grady County EMS Director Rodney Gordon said having law enforcement equipped with trauma supplies is critical, particularly when violence is involved.
"If it's a shooting or a stabbing or any kind of violent crime involved, EMS is not going on that scene until it's properly secured. And with law enforcement being on scene, they can go ahead and start those lifesaving methods. And once we get on scene, once it's clear, then we'll come on scene, and we'll help finish that and get them transported," Gordon said.
For Cairo neighbor Rico Ruiz, who moved to Grady County six months ago, the presence of law enforcement in the community has already made an impression.
"Every morning heading to work, I would always see like a law enforcement just, you know, watching over the streets. Of course, I work near the school, so watching over the school and the students, that is very important to us just to keep us safe," Ruiz said.
Ruiz said knowing deputies now have the tools to protect themselves and help save lives gives him even more confidence in the community he calls home.
"I don't have to feel the danger or worry about going out by myself or with friends or with family. I think it is a blessing that they are around me to protect me," Ruiz said.
For neighbors interested in learning how to help someone during an emergency, Grady County EMS offers CPR and first-aid training. The next class is expected in November. Grady County EMS will provide more details as the class gets closer.
More information is available on the Grady County EMS website and Facebook Page.
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