Two of Fayette County’s top emergency officials have been awarded for their contributions to the field of emergency medical services.

Fire and Emergency Services Director Jack Krakeel received the EMS Pioneer award for outstanding leadership and contribution to the emergency medical services profession at the regional, state and national level.

Fire and Emergency Services EMS Educator Capt. Steve Folden received the EMS Educator of the Year award for outstanding leadership, dedication and contribution to EMS education training programs in Fayette County and for the 12-county Region 4 Division of the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Folden has been integral in the county’s Critical Care Paramedic program, which he teaches. The program was pioneered under the direction of Chief Allen McCullough and the department has trained more than 100 such paramedics since the program began in 1998 as an extension of the University of Maryland.

Fayette County currently employs 22 certified Critical Care EMT-paramedics.

Region 4 EMS Director Billy Watson said Krakeel and Folden deserved the awards “due to their leadership, contribution and dedication to the development and the ongoing outstanding emergency medical services system that we have in Fayette County and throughout the region and the state.”

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