Longtime EMS Chief's Valor on Display During 2022 Machete Attack

Okaloosa County EMS Division Chief Darrel Welborn received Okaloosa Countyโ€™s award for heroism after defending civilians from a machete-wielding attacker earlier this year.ย 

On June 3rd, the narrative for the citation reads, Welborn was helping EMS units in the area of the Okaloosa Boardwalk when โ€œhe was flagged down by a frantic wife of a victim who had just been struck with a machete by an unidentified subject in a seemingly random, unprovoked act of violence.โ€

The narrative adds that Welborn triaged the victim and then realized that the attacker hadnโ€™t left the area. The chief called law enforcement put on tactical gear and engaged the suspect – distracting him long enough for law enforcement to arrive by โ€œverbally engagingโ€ the suspect.ย 

According to an Okaloosa County Sheriffโ€™s Office New Release, the suspect was later shot and killed by sheriffโ€™s deputies, ending the situation.ย 

Darrel Welborn and Okaloosa County Administrator John Hofstad
Okaloosa EMS Chief receives his HERO award from Okaloosa County Administrator John Hofstad. ๐Ÿ“ธ: Nick Tomecek | Okaloosa County
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Welborn, a longtime veteran of Okaloosa EMS received the award from Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mel Ponder at a meeting of the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners July 5th.ย 

โ€œIโ€™m honored to be able to serve this community – our visitors and our citizens. The first two words in our mission statement are โ€˜we protect,โ€™โ€œ said Welborn โ€œthatโ€™s the essence of the award. We protect our citizens and we protect our visitors. And I was glad to be there that day to be able to assist.โ€

โ€œDarrelโ€™s being humble,โ€ said Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox of Welborn, โ€œItโ€™s my honor to have you working for me.โ€

Sheriff Eric Aden also attended the award ceremony on behalf of the Okaloosa County Sheriffโ€™s Office. He glowed with praise for Welbornโ€™s handling of the June 3rd incident and the Chiefโ€™s handling of the EMS operation more generally as well. โ€œDarrel has served this community for decades now and I came up as a young deputy when he was already with EMS. We are fortunate that it is a team effort, Sheriff Aden said. โ€œDarrel puts himself in harms way, not because he has to, but because it is a calling.โ€

People standing at an awards ceremont
EMS Chief Darrel Welborn poses with Okaloosa County Commissioners after his awards ceremony. ๐Ÿ“ธ: Nick Tomecek | Okaloosa County

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