First responders working over Christmas

First responders working over Christmas

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Not everyone will be off this weekend, celebrating the holidays with their families.

For law enforcement, firefighters, emergency responders, 911 operators and the nurses, doctors and workers in area hospitals and nursing homes, it will be business as usual.

“We will have way more than a skeleton on Christmas and New Year’s, too,” said Sheriff Eric Clark. “We will work three deputies on a shift. Plus, our DUI officer will be out.

“We will really be concentrating on getting impaired drivers off the road, especially around the New Year. That campaign really starts around Dec. 16 and runs through Jan. 1.”

 As sheriff, Clark is over the jail and that is another 24/7 operation.

“We will have four or five people working on each shift,” Clark said. “Christmas being on a Sunday, we will probably have a high number of people incarcerated. Right now, we have 80 people in jail. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody but there are consequences for your actions.”

Philadelphia Fire Chief Deric Horne has worked plenty of holidays during his career.

“It’s just part of the job,” Horne said. “You learn how to schedule your family time. I hope everyone will stay warm and not overload the electrical outlets with heaters.”

The holidays are supposed to be happy times but a house fire will quickly spoil the spirit.

 “We have seen fires on Christmas day,” Horne said. “Hopefully, with good fire prevention, everybody will be safe.”

The Friday before and the Monday after are state holidays, which means City Hall and the Courthouse will be closed. But not everybody gets the holidays off.

 “The Fire Department and Police Department, they will be doing their routine shifts,” said Mayor James Young.

The mayor said the garbage pick up  schedule will not be  changed because of the holidays.

Emergency workers will be keeping a close eye on the weather as extreme cold temperatures are expected.

“Our crews will be off but if we have weather events, we will have to call people in,” County Administrator Jeff Mayo said. “We  will have two to three people on duty 24/7 at the 911 center throughout the holidays. They will be answering the calls and dispatching the calls for Neshoba and Kemper counties,”

Kirk Morgan of Philadelphia Utilities reminds resident to cover their exposed pipes and outdoor water facets. He added that someone will be manning the phone, 24/7, at Philadelphia Utilities in case an emergency comes up.

“It’s going to get really cold,” Morgan said.  “Based on what I’m seeing, I don’t think we are going to have an ice event. People need to cover their pipes and let a little trickle of water run to keep them from freezing up”






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