TUPELO – A tragic helicopter crash led to the formation of a new foundation that honors, supports and promotes the region’s first responders.
Kelley Burleson, a paramedic for Pafford ambulance service, was a partner with Jakob Kindt for two years before he joined an air ambulance crew with the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He was one of three people killed in a March 10 helicopter crash near Jackson.
“After his death, there were so many wonderful comments on Facebook. But why does that only happen when a tragedy strikes,” Burleson said. “I wanted to let the general public know the names and faces of first responders. I wanted a way to show appreciation for first responders, the dispatchers, firemen, police, deputies, and medics.”
So she reached out to some friends and together they formed the First Responders Foundation. The organization not only recognizes but also gives financial and emotional support to emergency workers.
The foundation will focus on Lee and its surrounding counties for now, but the eventual goal is to go statewide.
The group plans to start giving awards in the next few months to recognize those who have gone above and beyond.
“We want to recognize the ones who do this every day,” Burleson said. “There are not a lot of ‘thank yous’ in this business. But there is a lot of emotional and physical strain on the mind and the body to knowingly get up every morning and put yourself in stressful situations to help others.”
Besides the awards, the group hopes to offer scholarships to students looking to go into the field. The goal is to also be able to provide funds to injured first responders or to the families of responders who lose their lives in the line of duty.
Recently, a retired first responder hurt her leg and couldn’t get around her house. Burleson went onto Facebook and quickly was able to get a wheelchair donated for her.
The foundation is still in the organizational phase.
“We are accepting small donations and did a shirt sale,” Burleson. “I have already had to turn down some people who wanted to make a sizable donation. I don’t want to do that until we get our nonprofit status. We are working on that right now.”
Next weekend, the foundation is hosting its first event. Around three dozen crafts vendors will set up at Saltillo City Park, along with bouncy houses, face painting and food trucks. The free event will be May 17 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
This fall, the foundation will host the EMS games, a light-hearted but extremely competitive team contest.
“First responders are very competitive and whoever wins will get the bragging trophy,” Burleson said.
Those interested can keep up with the group through the First Responders Foundation page on Facebook. It is just a few months old, but the page has already had more than 140,000 views.
“This is my first time to do anything like this and it has taken off,” Burleson said. “I am happily overwhelmed.”