Midland, Ga. (June 6, 2025)— Piedmont Columbus Regional has named Christopher Webb, Keith Russell, John Joshua Gonzales, Peyton Irions, D’Andrei Watson, Adam Riley and Kevin Green with Columbus Fire and EMS the organization’s First Friday Heroes for the month of June.
The Columbus Fire and EMS station 5 crew called ahead to the Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown Emergency Department to alert them they were transporting a man suffering a possible heart attack to the hospital. Emergency Department staff were waiting for their arrival and quickly got the man seen by Cath Lab staff, who confirmed the heart attack and performed a procedure restoring blood flow to the heart. Because of the swift response by Columbus Fire and EMS, the patient went home two days later.
“The Columbus Fire and EMS crew achieved a door-to-balloon time of 39 minutes— which represents the time from when a patient arrives at the hospital to when a patient receives lifesaving treatment,” said Director of Cardiovascular Services and Neuroscience Alexis Smith. "This was one of the quickest times ever at Piedmont Columbus Regional.”
It’s important to know common symptoms of a heart attack because time is muscle:
- Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching
- Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or upper belly
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweat, nausea or vomiting
- Lightheadedness, dizziness or extreme fatigue
- Heartburn or indigestion
A ceremony with them and hospital leadership will be held on June 25 at 11:30 a.m. at fire station 5 on Lynch Road in Midland to commend them for their response. Their story is also featured throughout the hospital on commemorative posters and Piedmont Columbus Regional’s social media pages.
Piedmont Columbus Regional created the First Friday Hero program in 2016 to recognize first responders each month who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
“Their line of work is often a thankless job, and we want to make the community aware of what our local do to make the Chattahoochee Valley a safer place,” said Piedmont Columbus Regional CEO Scott Hill.