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Residents urge county to fund a staffed EMS station in Mary Hill to cut 30–45 minute response times
Summary
Multiple speakers described ambulance response delays in northern Bertie County, urged converting an existing fire station at Midway for EMS use, and asked commissioners to allocate funds and personnel to shorten life‑threatening delays.
Residents, nurses and other community members urged the board to prioritize emergency medical services (EMS) capacity after several speakers described long response times in parts of the county.
Brad Kernis (O'Connell) said some areas now experience "alarmingly long" response times — "sometimes 30 to 45 minutes or even more" — and proposed establishing a strategically located, staffed EMS station in Midway/Mary Hill. Kernis recommended repurposing an existing fire station to reduce startup costs and called for immediate funding, personnel hiring and equipment purchases.
Multiple nurses and other residents gave personal accounts of life‑threatening incidents where long waits compounded outcomes. One nurse said she had personally witnessed multiple emergencies with delays that exceeded 45 minutes and urged the board: "Let's get it spent. Let's save these children." Commissioners acknowledged the concern, noted prior allocations discussed in earlier budget cycles, and said staff and commissioners would prioritize EMS in upcoming budget and work‑session planning.
No formal appropriation was approved at the meeting; commissioners discussed available grants and state funding options and directed staff to include EMS priorities in the county's legislative and budget planning.
