Pam Dudding-Burch
Contributing writer
Every business knows that proper signage is of the utmost importance, for people to find them easily. Recently, Craig’s Emergency Services had a beautiful professional new sign designed, donated and installed.
Lieutenant Renee Hatcher and Dan Markley shared that they saw the need for a sign and flags for their Emergency Services organization. Ultimately, they designed it and Markley handmade it in his garage.
“This sign was designed and built by our own paid medics while working,” Jim Cady, Emergency Services Coordinator and Emergency Management Coordinator, said. His replacement a year ago resigned, therefore, he returned to the position.
The new sign is located in front of the old School Board office to the right of The Commons building on Route 311.
Lieutenant Renee Hatcher and Dan Markley expressed that they saw the need for a sign and flags for their organization.
“This is a fantastic organization that should be proud of the difference they make in this community every day,” Markley said. “We absolutely have the best Emergency Responders in Virginia.”
Markley became a Certified EMT on January 14, 1988. He began helping at the Rescue Squad in Roanoke at age 12 and was certified just three years later. “Even at an early age, I always wanted to help people, make a difference,” he said.
Markley is also retired from the US Coast Guard. Among his many titles include: CHEC-A, EMT-B, Facility In-patient Activity Coordinator, Facility Emergency Response Team Lead, Hospital Haz-Mat Zone Response Team Member, Voluntary Services, Recreational Specialist and Salem VAMC.
Hatcher became a Certified EMT in 2012. “This line of work pursued me because it was God’s plan for my life,” she shared. “I had a lot of great family support and teachers that helped me along the way when I did not believe in myself.”
“Renee and I got to work and came up with the design and built it,” Markley said. “We are both the type of people that once an idea gets in our head, we just do it,” Hatcher added.
Cady noted that no one asked them to do it. “They tell me they were on shift waiting for Rescue calls and said to one another, ‘Let’s find something to do for the agency,’” he said.
Markley purchased the materials from local stores and handmade the signs in his garage. “He has the skill and the brains. I am just the muscle,” Hatcher said with a smile.
Chief Robert gave Markley a layout of what the signs should be like early in the process to which Markley said, “We made the signs with his specs in mind, and they turned out pretty good.”
Cady noted that though it cost the County nothing, he was going to try to reimburse them for the supplies if there are available funds at the end of the fiscal year. “They told me we do not have to do that they just wanted to help out while they were working,” he said.
Hatcher said she truly loves the new sign but, “I am kind of sad because now we’re searching for our next project.”
“Seeing the sign and, more importantly, the National Ensign flying over our facility make me feel like I am lucky to be part of such a professional organization and hopefully it will inspire our community to help us to continue to improve our facilities,” Markley said. “This project is a good start, but it also reminds me of how much more needs to be done as we need metal siding and gutters for our station.”
