Those Who Keep Us Safe- Reed Birdsong

Not every hero wears a uniform and has a badge, and not every person in trouble calls 911. 

Many of them just call Reed Birdsong.

Birdsong has been with the Warren County Emergency Management Agency since 2006, and he has been on hand to assist county residents during every major disaster situation that has occurred. 

Birdsong on scene of fire at Azalea Trace Apartments
(photo by D. Day)

When I reached out to Mr. Birdsong to tell him he had been chosen as the subject for this week’s Those Who Keep Us Safe column, it quickly became apparent that he is not the kind of man who is comfortable giving himself praise. The closest he came to boasting is when he briefly mentioned that he has beaten cancer three times.

I did my standard Facebook snooping hoping to gather some details about his career, and it quickly became apparent that Reed Birdsong considers his greatest accomplishments to be his family. Birdsong has been married to his lovely wife, Darlene, for 31 years and is a loving father of four and very proud grandfather of eight.  

Some of the Birdsong family
(photo from FB)

I knew I would have to reach out to others to learn about the man, and I didn’t have to look very far.  VDN’s very own Tommy Parker has known Birdsong for many years and considers him a friend.  The two were constant fixtures during the Backwater Flood of 2019.

Parker said, “Reed was a constant source of both resources and encouragement for Warren County residents in the northern region and Eagle Lake. He often worked seven days a week to make sure supplies were ferried to these areas.”

Although it is evident that Reed Birdsong is a driving force and source of help when disaster strikes, he insists that the credit belongs to “too many wonderful individuals in this county to name” and says his very favorite part of the job “is the people”.

Parker wasn’t surprised to hear that Birdsong was hesitant to accept praise, choosing instead to credit others.  “He is often the silent force at many incidents, seeing that first responders have what they need to accomplish their mission.  He is constantly on the move handling the much-needed task of logistics for emergency management.”

Darlene and Reed Birdsong
(photo from FB)