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WINDSOR – Bertie residents living in the Merry Hill area of the county are seeking faster response times by Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

During the public comments portion of last month’s Bertie Board of Commissioners meeting, Brad Kernus said there is an urgent need for a strategically located, fully staffed EMS crew to serve the southeastern edge of the county.

“Imagine an emergency affecting you, your family, your neighbors who are in need of medical assistance. Help needs to arrive expeditiously,” Kernus said. “Emergency response times in certain parts of our county has become alarmingly long, sometimes 30 to 45 minutes or even more.”

Kernus, who resides at Occano, a waterfront residential community on the Albemarle Sound, stressed that all residents deserve prompt access to life-saving care.

“However, certain areas face disproportionately long delays in response times for EMS,” he observed. “Ironically, this issue is more severe in the areas that contribute significantly to the county’s tax base, that being Ocono, one of North Carolina’s top golf courses, Blackrock, and Batchelor Bay. This area also includes Lawrence Academy and Avoca, a major local employer.”

Kernus said such delays are life threatening.

“In emergencies such as cardiac arrest, or other critical situations, every second matters,” he noted. “The difference between timely care and delayed assistance can be the difference between life and death. This is a matter of public safety.”

He said a solution is establishing an EMS station at Midway where there is an available building upon the Midway / Merry Hill Fire Department moving into a new facility.

“I urge this board to take decisive action by allocating immediate funding to hire qualified EMS personnel, procuring the necessary equipment, and establishing a sustainable operating budget. This will save lives,” Kernus concluded.

Jean Kozachuk, who also resides in Occano, also addressed the long response times for EMS.

“But I’m not blaming the staff. I know where we live, out here in Occano, but there has to be a solution,” she said.

Kozachuk mentioned money has been allocated for a new EMS station to serve the Midway / Merry Hill area.

“Let’s get this money spent and save lives,” she stressed.

“We do have the money; we just have to spend it on a facility to get EMS closer to ya’ll,” said Commissioner Ronald Roberson.