Dawson County Emergency Services

Dawson County Emergency Services EMS Division operates four (4) paramedic-level ambulances and one (1) paramedic-level engines daily. Each of these units are equipped with specialized equipment for the pre-hospital care of the sick and injured. Equipment includes cardiac monitors that are capable of recording and transmitting data to receiving hospitals and mechanical chest compression devices.

In addition to medical and fire responses, Emergency Medical Services provides public education, blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, as well as medical pre-plans for businesses. In 2016, Dawson County partnered with Northeast Georgia Medical Center to share cardiac arrest data which is entered into the International Cardiac Arrest Data Registry (INTCAR). This effort aims to develop data trends to help improve outcomes for patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

EMS Medical Director

A volunteer position, the Medical Director is responsible for reviewing and developing treatment protocols, performing quality assurance of patient care, and serving as an advocate and resource for the department in regards to patient care.

Dr. Alexander Benz, M.D. is an emergency room physician at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. He is a graduate of Albany Medical College in Albany, NY and completed his emergency medicine residency at the Detroit Receiving Hospital in Detroit, MI. In addition to being certified in emergency medicine, he completed his residency in family medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. Prior to coming to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Dr. Benz served as an emergency physician in Dothan, AL and served as medical director for an ambulance service in the Dothan area.