ROCKINGHAM ― Employees of FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital Richmond gathered by the roadside Tuesday as sirens blared in their honor.
Led by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, a parade of first responders circled the hospital offering thanks to the healthcare workers.
Sheriff James Clemmons said the goal of the parade was to “pick up the spirits of all those involved,” from the hospital and other workers in the health field ― including the hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes and hospice ― to all of the county’s law enforcement and firefighters and the community at large.
The convoy started at the Richmond County Health Department where Clemmons and company offered “kudos” to Health and Human Service Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell and his staff for keeping the public updated on the spread of COVID-19 in the county.
The line of vehicles then paraded down Rockingham Road, and turned onto Long Drive where they were greeted by the hospital’s workers, some of whom were wearing facemasks or holding signs.
Before the convoy arrived, passersby were honking their horns and yelling out thanks from their vehicles on the road.
The parade looped around the hospital, with several deputies offering thanks from the loudspeakers on their patrol cars, and came back around the Emergency Department and onto County Home Road before heading out to Sandhills Regional Medical Center, which was recently reopened to serve as a drive-thru coronavirus testing facility.
The former hospital may also be used by the state as an overflow facility for patients without the coronavirus, should other hospitals become overwhelmed.
“I think it was amazing, very touching” said John Jackson, president of FirstHealth’s Southern region and administrator for MRH-Richmond. “We appreciate people recognizing the great work that we do here, and the front-line folks who do it every day.
“I want to thank the sheriff for putting this together and all the different organizations, from law enforcement to rescue to fire … it means a lot.”
Clemmons everyone is on edge and that it was “a good feeling” to show appreciation as he offered gratitude to all of the first-responder groups in Richmond County, whether they were able to participate or not: Rockingham Police Department, Hamlet Police Department, N.C. State Highway Patrol, Richmond County Schools Special Police, Donna Wright and the staff of Richmond County Emergency Management, the N.C. Department of Public Safety, Rockingham Fire Department, Hamlet Fire and Rescue, East Rockingham Fire Department, Cordova Fire and Rescue, Northside Volunteer Fire Department, Ellerbe Fire Department, Ellerbe Rescue, Richmond County Rescue, Mountain Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Hoffman Fire Department, Derby Volunteer Fire Department and FirstHealth EMS.
“I want to thank all the healthcare workers in Richmond County and our nation for everything that they’re doing during this pandemic,” Clemmons said. “We couldn’t do it without any of them.”
Employees of Richmond Family Medicine stand behind a banner during a parade for healthcare workers. (Charlie Melvin – Richmond Observer)
