Praise for traveling emergency workers

When the largest wildfire in Georgia's history roared through the Waycross area in May 2007, Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue firefighters were among hundreds from around the state driving to south Georgia to help protect homes in those communities.

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On June 29, when an Atlanta parking garage collapsed, emergency responders from Martinez-Columbia helped with search and rescue operations.

And last week, when rains flooded huge portions of the Atlanta area, Martinez-Columbia and Augusta Fire Department firefighters immediately drove west to help rescue citizens and pets.

With this latest effort, using their own boats towed from here to Atlanta, these firefighters proved once again that they more than live up to the title of public servants.

Each of this year's groups were led by Battalion Chief Danny Kuhlmann. Chief Kuhlmann would be last in line if such efforts were about seeking glory. They aren't; they're about helping people when they call. "They'd do the same for us," Kuhlmann says matter-of-factly.

And Kuhlmann is just one of the many members of our county's emergency services who have traveled out of town to help others in their time of greatest need.

Such communities routinely hail those who provide outside assistance, perhaps with a proclamation or a plaque. But we should not forget that these selfless public servants deserve the loudest praise from their own hometown.

Just a couple of weeks ago, some of the county's citizens gathered in front of the Justice Center to remember the tragedy of 9/11 and especially the toll it took on emergency responders.

In 2001, one of the realizations after those attacks was that we take our civilian emergency personnel for granted. No more. And local firefighters' tremendous efforts in helping with emergencies in other parts of the state should be greeted with praise here at home, too.

Please join us in taking every opportunity to tell your local emergency responders thank you. They deserve it, and we owe it.

Atlanta flood responders

Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue

Battalion Chief Danny Kuhlmann

Capt. Danny Dickinson

Capt. Gary Griffith

Capt. Chris Wahman

Lt. Johnny Phillips

Lt. Tim Rupert

Lt. Jamie Champion

Firefighter Rushton Metzler

Firefighter Doug Lord

Firefighter Jeff Prouty

Firefighter Will Kolvachuck

Augusta Fire Department

Chief Wayne Taylor

Lt. Joey Smith

Sgt. Marc Jacobs

Sgt. John Cawley

Firefighter Nick Prokosa

Firefighter Jason Adams

Firefighter Bryant Wolf