The Bladen County EMS report shows needs in Bladen County. David Howell, EMS Chief, and Bradley Kinlaw, Emergency Services Director, gave a system update report Monday evening to the Bladen County Board of Commissioners and promised to bring back a budget so commissioners may assist them in their staffing needs.
According to Howell’s report, Bladen County is identified as a rural group in North Carolina. The state average response time for a rural group in 2015 is 17 minutes and Bladen EMS average response time is 21 minutes–down one minute from last year’s county average according to Howell.
Bladen County EMS time from the scene to the hospital is below the state average, according to Howell. The state average is 34 minutes, while Bladen County’s average is 33 minutes.
“The men and women in our EMS department have been busy,” Kinlaw said. “Today, (Monday, Dec. 21), Bladen County EMS made it’s 10,000th call this year,” Kinlaw stated.
Rowan Fire Department District has the longest average response time for Bladen County EMS with an average response time ranging from 25 to 28 minutes. Tobemory, Hickory Grove, Ammon, Carvers Creek, and Bay Tree fire districts also have response time averages above 20 minutes.
The EMS Director is not without a plan. Howell told the board his current measures to help reduce response was he switched a unit’s shift from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to the new times of 12 p.m. (noon) to 12 a.m. (midnight) to cover higher call volume times.
Howell also reported his shift with Medic-5 to move down Hwy 87 East towards Carvers Creek through the day time and during the evening hours East Arcadia / Kelly truck change out if the unit is not on any calls.
Vice-Chair Arthur Bullock asked Howell how many units EMS has in the county. Howell responded saying the county has four trucks responding to calls during the day and the Medic-5 unit, and the county has two transport vehicles.
Commissioner Charles Peterson said he wanted to respond to some accusations made by Horace Munn at the last meeting. “I was off my game and caught off guard, but I went home and wrote the questions down, and tonight I have the answers, and I wish Horace was here tonight to hear this,” Peterson said.
“Can you tell me if you have found anything out about the call that took 45 minutes to be responded to?” Peterson asked Howell.
Howell said he did find out that there were several other calls being responded to in White Oak and Tar Heel at the same time and that is what took so long.
“So the trucks are moved according to what is going on at any given time, that makes sense.” Peterson said.
According to Peterson, Munn also made allegations about his mom receiving special treatment from EMS recently. Peterson said, “My mother died five years ago and I don’t appreciate the implication.”
Peterson said, “I’ll say one more thing, and then that’s it. Munn made several remarks about black lives matter here at the last meeting. Howell, all lives matter here in Bladen County!”
Howell agreed with Peterson, “Yes, all lives matter.”
Commissioner Delilah Blanks asked Howell if he would be bringing a budget back to the commissioners for them to review so commissioners could try to help Bladen County EMS with their staffing needs to better serve the county.
Howell promised the Blanks and the other commissioners he would return with a budget. To view the full report given by Bladen County EMS Chief Howell visit: http://www.boarddocs.com/nc/bladenco/Board.nsf/files/A5ESXH74D0CB/$file/EMS%20Reponse%20%2012.21.15.pdf
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