Putnam firefighter severely injured

A longtime Putnam County firefighter and his family are now facing the kind of pain they usually work diligently to prevent.

Putnam County Fire Department Battalion Chief Darren Alford was working a part-time job away from the fire department, at Reynolds Lake Oconee Monday, when he was severely injured and flown by medical helicopter to Grady Hospital.

Alford currently is in stable condition in the Grady Burn Center, Putnam County Fire Chief Thomas McClain said when called by the newspaper.

McClain declined to give details other than the condition status of his friend and firefighter brother.

“Right now, he and his family just really need everybody’s prayers,” McClain said, noting that he and the other firefighters have been visiting and ensuring Alford’s family has everything they need.

Alford has worked with the Putnam County Fire Department since Jan. 25, 2021, and he served as a firefighter in Milledgeville, Baldwin County before that, according to McClain.

A GoFundMe account, “Darren’s Road to Recovery” was created to assist the Alford family at gofund.me/864847f7.