About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 2020)
LOCAL The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition - June, 24-25, 2020 5A Hall Fire Services’ sergeant returns to work months after cardiac arrest BY NICK WATSON nwatson @gainesvilletimes.com Hall County Fire Ser vices’ Sgt. Jonathan Barton suited up at Station 8 for the first time in months since a serious medical emergency in February. The sergeant was greeted Tuesday, June 23, as he returned to work with 25-30 people wel coming him back to the department. “That was definitely a surprise, but it was good to come back to work and know that I was coming back to my normal station and a routine,” Barton said. Barton said he and his colleagues ran a couple of calls as of 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. “I was ready. Of course, they’re all laughing and taking pictures and videos as we’re rolling out of the station for my first call in many months,” he said. Barton went into cardiac arrest Feb. 11 at the Hall County Fire Services Train ing Center and was rushed to Northeast Georgia Medi cal Center in Gainesville. He spent two weeks in the hospital before being discharged Tuesday, Feb. 25. Barton attended the Recruit Class 49 graduation Feb. 28 at Lanier Technical College’s Ramsey Confer ence Center. “We are thankful for Jonathan’s recovery from what is normally a tragic situation,” Chief Chris Armstrong said in a state ment. “The Bartons have experienced so much support from our com munity throughout his recovery and for that we are extremely grateful. Jonathan has shown tre mendous courage and grit in his efforts to return and serve the citizens and visi tors of Hall County.” Photo courtesy Hall County Fire Services Sgt. Jonathan Barton walks to work Tuesday, June 23, months after he went into cardiac arrest during a training exercise. City firefighter suspended over social media post BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com A Gainesville Fire Depart ment employee was sus pended for a week without pay for a comment made from his social media account about recent pro tests in Gainesville, although his spouse had made the post. In a statement May 31, City Manager Bryan Lackey said the city was investigat ing a firefighter for an “inap propriate, distasteful and baseless remark regarding the citizenship status of some demonstrators” in Gaines ville’s protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. On Monday, June 22, Lackey said the investigation had been completed. “During our investigation, both the employee and his spouse both stated that the spouse had typed and posted the remarks on Facebook. Both stated that they were not together when the post was made,” Lackey said in an email. “The employee stated he was not aware of the post until the next day when another employee con tacted him about this post.” The city has not identi fied the employee, who Lackey said was suspended for a week without pay and “strongly advised” to no lon ger have joint social media accounts. “While this finding did lessen the impacts and involvement of the employee, we still proceeded with a disciplinary action as all employees are responsi ble for any posts or remarks made from a social media account associated with their name,” Lackey said. @yourservice PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY AND SERVICE GUIDE To place your company’s advertisement, call us today at 770-535-1199 She Otttes gainesvilletimes.com We are a state licensed and insured contractor, we do new construction, ~ ^ complete remodels S totsU^ ^id all repairs, Con traC decks and under satterfieldcontractors@gmail.com nMECA REMODELING 678-617-1403 CALL US TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR ESTIMATE. 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