Spotlight: The National Guard unit helping Phoebe through the crisis

ALBANY, Ga. – As Albany continues to be a hotspot for the number of cases and deaths from the coronavirus, residents have had to rely on essential workers to help them through this pandemic. But who’s helping the essential workers?

Army National Guard unit 2-121 is working around the clock, and they’re helping Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital staff help the residents of Albany through this crisis.

“At this moment, we’re working 24 hours a day seven days a week, we’re here to support the hospital. The hospital doesn’t sleep, so neither do we,” says Lieutenant Barden.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught America anything, it’s that unique problems call for unique solutions. And the guardsmen here at Phoebe are fulfilling unique roles to help meet the needs of the hospital.

“It may seem like a mundane task manning some of these different doors but at the same time it alleviates both the National Guard’s medics to be able to assist patients as well as the nurses that are on staff here at Phoebe to actually do their main job as opposed to manning a door,” says Sergeant Kight.

During this worldwide pandemic The Guard’s services here in Albany Georgia are invaluable, big or small. And as they fulfill whatever duties come their way like sanitizing nursing homes, taking temperatures or distributing lifesaving equipment, they do it proudly.

Barden says, “Don’t ever look at us as something to be scared of in this moment. Look at us as a helping hand, we’re here for your community and we don’t want to stop being here for your community.”

Right now, it unknown for how long The Guard will be in assisting Albany through the crisis. But it is comforting to know that there are dedicated troops helping the essential workers that are helping residents.

“Where there is need or where there is suffering, we want to be right here where we can assist.”