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Commission weighs temporary EMS outpost in Poga as staffing woes hamper response
Summary
Commissioners discussed establishing a temporary EMS outpost in Poga/Elk Mills to cut response times, considering donated structures and regional staffing help as shortages persist; no formal funding commitment was made.
Commissioners and EMS officials discussed options to maintain emergency medical coverage for Poga and Elk Mills after Highway and access damage slowed regular response times.
Budget Chair Robert Acuff outlined a plan to station a collapsible building near the existing medical clinic in Poga so EMS personnel could be on-site as needed. Deputy Director Nancy Garrison and EMS leadership described staffing shortages and mutual-aid arrangements with neighboring counties; Garrison said ambulance strike teams and county-to-county transport agreements have helped but that sustained staffing remains a challenge.
Commissioner Angie Odom offered a camper that could be used immediately for staff lodging and operations if utility hookups are made available. Chair Acuff and Sheriff Mike Fraley noted portable facilities already in use — for example, a shower trailer and an outpost presence — and flagged recurring service demands in the area: Commissioner Lesley Hughes reported 216 sheriff department calls, 50–60 Rescue Squad calls and more than a dozen fire department assists in the affected area since Sept. 27.
The board did not authorize permanent staffing changes at the meeting; commissioners urged continued coordination with regional partners, the Tennessee Department of Health and ETSU Family Medicine, which operates a free clinic in Poga on Thursdays. Chair Acuff said the proposed temporary outpost would be an interim measure while road access is restored.
