HIAWASSEE, Ga. – The Towns County Commissioner’s Office held a public sign-up to assist citizens with enrollment in CodeRed, an emergency-alert system that notifies residents of inclement weather and other pertinent information effecting the area, on the afternoons of Tuesday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 8.

Sole Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw deemed the project a success, with 314 Towns County citizens signing up for the program at the Towns County Courthouse, increasing the list of registered households in the database.

CodeRed is an automated alert system that transmits local information to residents via telephone, text, and/or email.

Bradshaw recounted an interaction with one such resident who added her name to the notification list, unexpectedly thanking Towns County for the Air Methods emergency flight transport program.

“We hear a lot of stuff. This needs to be done, that needs to be done. We should have done this, we should have done that, but this was very nice of this lady” Bradshaw recalled. “Her husband had a stroke, and she was bragging on the EMTs (emergency medical technicians). She’s a retired nurse, so she knows what’s going on. The EMTs got there and handled her husband, she said, with such care and caring, and did such a great job.”

The commissioner went on to say the patient was air-lifted by Air Methods to a medical facility where a surgeon was waiting, restoring the stroke victim to health.

“She just wanted to thank the county, for number one, not having to pay for that air-flight, and number two, for the jobs that the EMTs did,” Bradshaw said with a smile. “We like to hear the good stories like that.”

Air Methods provides patients in critical condition with emergency air medical transport to the nearest trauma center.

A medical helicopter flight in this area typically costs between $30,000 to $50,000. Towns County and Union County residents will not incur any out-of-pocket expenses for air transport in an emergency situation. Residents who require Air Methods transport receive a bill in the mail, although automatic membership covers what insurance will not. Patients without insurance will not be charged for the service. Proof of residency is required.

If traveling outside of the area, Air Methods provides free coverage for Towns and Union County residents if transport is provided by the company. Air Methods operates within the 48 continental United States.

For more information on the life-saving program, call or email Union General Hospital Administrator Leslie Daniel at 706-745-2050 or [email protected].