PNH honors 9-1-1 Communications Officer as January First Friday Hero
From Piedmont Newnan Hospital
Piedmont Newnan Hospital has named Danielle Murrey, Coweta County 9-1-1 Communications Officer, the organization’s First Friday Hero for the month of January 2024.
In November, Danielle received a 9-1-1 call for a woman who was having a baby and needed assistance. As soon as Danielle answered the phone, the woman began delivering her child, who was premature and not due for another three months. This situation is out of the normal training that Communications Officers receive to assist with out of hospital deliveries for babies. The mother indicated a partial delivery and Danielle quickly adapted to the situation, moved passed the preparation for delivery instructions, and proceeded to provide instructions for delivery and then to warm the baby and insure an open airway. During the time needed to get EMS providers to the mother and child, Danielle gave instructions on wrapping and preserving the placenta for the EMS unit and ensuring that the baby was still breathing. Once EMS arrived, the mother and baby were transported to the hospital.
“This had to have been a scary situation for this mother to be delivering her child so early and Danielle remained calm and quickly stepped in to take action and ensure mom and baby were safe,” said Vicki Kaiser, COO at Piedmont Newnan.
Danielle joined Coweta County’s 9-1-1 Operations Center in 2022 and has been an operator for a year and a half.
“It was the first time I have had to assist a mother through delivery, but I’m thankful I had the training and knew what to do,” said Murrey.
A ceremony with Officer Callaway, and hospital leadership, was held at the Coweta County 9-1-1 Operations Center on Jan. 12, 2024, where Murrey was presented with a certificate, a photo frame, and a poster recognizing her as Piedmont Newnan’s First Friday Hero. Her story is also featured throughout the hospital on commemorative posters and Piedmont Newnan’s social media pages.
Piedmont Newnan created the First Friday Hero program in March of 2019 to recognize first responders each month who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.
“Their line of work is often a thankless job and we want to make the community aware of our local heroes and all they do to make our communities a better and safer place,” said Kaiser.
