MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The Ambulance Response Center held a demonstration to highlight its pivotal role in sustaining mission readiness by providing rapid, lifesaving emergency care at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, May 14, 2025.
Despite its small size, the ARC team maintains a high operational tempo. The team includes just four enlisted emergency medical technicians and seven civilian paramedics. With only EMT and one paramedic on shift at any given time, teamwork and resourcefulness are essential.
This lean team maintains a constant state of readiness by coordinating seamlessly with other first responders across the installation, including the 820th Base Defense Group, the 23rd Civil Engineer Fire and Emergency Services, and the 23rd Security Forces Squadron. Together, they ensure no emergency call goes unanswered.
At the heart of ARC’s operations is Staff Sgt. Mariah Smith, the center’s noncommissioned officer in charge. She helps oversee the center’s around-the-clock mission to deliver rapid medical support whenever and wherever it’s needed.
“Our primary job is to provide emergency medical response for the entire base and to keep our warfighters and their families healthy,” said Smith. “We’re that first line of care in any emergency.”
ARC responders are mandated to reach patients in under 11 minutes but often do so in two to three. These prompt response times are made through strategic positioning, and constant readiness, with responders based at the fire station during overnight hours to ensure continuous coverage.
“As soon as we get the call, we’re out the door,” said Senior Airmen Rachel Rouland, an ARC medical technician. “We use a group chat to keep everyone updated and shift turnover is where a lot of crucial information gets passed.”
While speed and communication are essential, continuous training is embedded in ARC’s culture.
“Once a month, we run realistic scenarios using mannequins out in the field-for example, a simulated heat stroke or trauma-related injury,” Smith said. “We respond as if it were a real call, applying interventions, loading the patient and transporting them. That kind of repetition helps us mentally prepare for the unpredictability of real emergencies.”
The nature of emergency medical response also requires emotional resilience and dedication to the mission.
“I love taking care of people and I always tell my airmen: What we do matters,” said Smith. “We are the face someone remembers on what could possibly be the worst day of their life. That responsibility is huge.”