PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC (WBTW) – Midway Fire Rescue is now the first fire department in Georgetown County to use bulletproof vests.
The fire department received the vests about two months ago. Georgetown County leaders drew from the Capital Improvement Fund to purchase the vests, each costing $250.
“We want to make sure at the end of every shift, people have the opportunity to go home to their families,” said Chief Doug Eggiman. “We’re seeing an increase in instances of either violence or threats against the first responders. In the past year, we’ve had two or three occasions where our people were assaulted.”
Instead of issuing vests to firefighters individually, the department placed the vests in the fire trucks and emergency vehicles. According to Chief Eggiman, they’ve placed about 35 vests in 11 emergency vehicles. First responders will only put them on when they respond to potentially violent calls, including shootings, stabbings, domestic calls, and fights.
“Officers on each apparatus have the discretion based off of what they hear from dispatch, or even what they see pulling up on the scene to instruct the crew to put them on as well,” said Eggiman.
Midway firefighters, who are all trained EMTs or paramedics, recently put the vests on for the first time last week when they responded to a shooting.
“Sometimes we’re not in the greatest of places, at the greatest of times. They appreciate the fact that we’re being proactive and the county’s being proactive,” said Eggiman.
Chief Eggiman hopes no one on his team ever needs the vest, but says it’s better to be prepared.
“The reality, too, is that there’s just no guarantee that any scene is safe. Law enforcement does the best they can and they’re doing a fantastic job with it. But at the end of the day you just never really know,” explained Eggiman.
Firefighters with Myrtle Beach and Horry County Fire Rescue do not currently wear bulletproof vests.