First responders getting support from each other

Most of the people in Slidell appreciate the great police and first responders we have here.
While it is not unusual to see many people in major cities criticize and even attack police for trying to do their job, we are fortunate in St. Tammany Parish because that is not the case here.
That’s because it is rare, indeed, to have a situation on the North Shore involving police or any first responders who aren’t doing their job of protecting the citizens and treating people with respect.
One other aspect that has contributed to the outstanding first responder team we have in St. Tammany is the way those organizations support each other.
It was only last week when a serious accident occurred on Gause Boulevard, shutting down the traffic after a 73-year-old man had a heart attack while driving, and ran into an electric pole that cracked in half.
Within minutes there were first responders from Slidell Police, Fire District #1, the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office and Acadian Ambulance on the scene. All of the different agencies worked hand-in-hand to try and save the life of the man, who unfortunately passed away after being taken to the hospital.
In larger cities you don’t see that support from one agency to the other as much. Whereas it might seem easy to have a competitive situation between agencies, we see men and women in St. Tammany Parish helping each other—all trying to provide the best service possible to the citizens here.
On Saturday, that camaraderie was seen once again when the Slidell Police Department held a fun event between Chief Randy Fandal and three of his officers. It was a challenge race in a 40-yard dash after the 60-plus year-old chief told the young guys, “I can smoke you all.”
While that wasn’t the case, by a long way, the event displayed the great friendship we have among Slidell police officers. Dozens of them turned out to show their support for their fellow officers, not to mention members from the Fire Department and even Louisiana State Police coming to cheer them on as well.
Most residents of our parish do appreciate police and other first responders here. But many probably do not realize how much these men and women support each other and work together.
The result is the best law enforcement and first responder teams we could ask for, and it is always a good thing to show our appreciation for what they do.