A day in the life of a Wilkes County paramedic

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PHOTOS: Following a paramedic in Wilkes County

Photos: Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard allowed an AJC photographer to ride along in an ambulance with her on a typical shift on Oct. 3, 2019.

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard radios to a dispatched EMS truck for a location while driving a rapid response vehicle during her morning shift in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Howard says her "second life" started when she became a paramedic. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard points to a map to show the proximity of the Washington Fire Department and Wilkes County EMS Station 1 while at the station in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Rayle, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard laughs after exchanging words with Wilkes County paramedics on a call in Rayle, Thursday, October 3, 2019. The two paramedics working the call were preparing to change shifts after working through the night. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Radios are outfitted in a Wilkes County EMS rapid response vehicle in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Rapid Response Vehicles are often used to get to emergency locations quicker. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Rayle, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard (left) speaks with Audra Armour (right) following a response for Audra's mother at her Rayle residence, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Audra called 911 because her mother was complaining about chest pain and started to feel numbness on her side. The family was preparing to load some livestock and head to the Georgia State Fair. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County paramedic Rebekah Echols (right) helps prepares James Gilmore (left), 86, for a lift as Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard (center) listens to his wife, Jessie Gilmore, 80, (not photographed) explain how James had early morning fall at their residence, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Amy says Wilkes County has a large elderly population and some of their morning calls are for falls. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard (second from left) and Wilkes County paramedic Rebekah Echols (left) listen as Washington resident Jessie Gilmore, 80, (right) explains how her 86-year-old husband had an early morning fall at their residence, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Amy says Wilkes County has a large elderly population and some of their morning calls are for falls. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedics Amy Howard drives to a medical call in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Howard says her "second life" started when she became a paramedic. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Washington resident Mary Richards, 91, is transported down her driveway by Washington firefighter Jack Davis (left), Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard (second from right) and Wilkes County paramedic Rebekah Echols (right) after she fell in her house in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. The Stryker branded stretcher, which Mary Richards is being carried on, allows for easy lifting of patients, which is helpful for the paramedics. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard prepares Washington resident Mary Richards, 91, to travel to Wills Memorial Hospital while on a call in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. The Stryker branded stretcher, which Mary Richards is being carried on, allows for easy lifting of patients, which is helpful for the paramedics. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard (right) and Wilkes County paramedic Rebekah Echols (left) provide medical treatment to a 91-year-old patient in the back of their truck during a call in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. The patient, who suffers from dementia, had fallen and was relocated to her bed by Wilkes County Firefighters before Wilkes County paramedics arrived. The patient was complaining about pain on her side and her son elected for her to be transported to Wills Memorial Hospital. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County EMS paramedic Rebekah Echols tries to start an IV for her 91-year-old patient, Mary Richards, in the back of the medical truck on a call in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. The patient, who suffers from dementia, had fallen and was relocated to her bed by Wilkes County Firefighters before Wilkes County paramedics arrived. The patient was complaining about pain on her side and her son elected for her to be transported to Wills Memorial Hospital. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard receives information from a Wilkes County dispatcher inside the Wills Memorial Hospital emergency room following a call that brought a patient to to the hospital in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard (right) and Wilkes County EMS paramedic Tracy Finch (left) share stories during their lunch break at Wilkes County EMS Station 1 in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Tracy Finch, who has been a paramedic since 1994, works part-time for the Wilkes County EMS and full-time for the Greene County EMS. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County paramedic Rebekah Echols replenishes medical materials to her medical truck at Station 1 in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County paramedic Rebekah Echols in her uniform at Station 1 in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Echols is a full-time paramedic for Wilkes County EMS. She previously worked as a paramedic in the Augusta area before relocating back to her hometown. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

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10/03/2019 -- Washington, Georgia -- Wilkes County Deputy EMA Director and paramedic Amy Howard radios to a dispatched EMS truck for a location while driving a rapid response vehicle during her morning shift in Washington, Thursday, October 3, 2019. Howard says her "second life" started when she became a paramedic. (Alyssa Pointer/Atlanta Journal Constitution)

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