Brunswick County’s proposed EMS Franchise Agreement with Southport gets pushback
"This [franchise] agreement has some strong wording in it, to where we have to go on standby or run calls all the way through Brunswick County."
BRUNSWICK COUNTY (WWAY)–Leaders in Southport met Monday night to discuss a new EMS Franchise Agreement with Brunswick County. However, there was some pushback. The City of Southport says this new franchise agreement will result in longer response times or no answer at all for EMS workers. The county is trying to cover the growing population.
“Southport continues to be used and abused,” said Aldermen Robert Carroll.
The Board of Aldermen is unhappy with Brunswick County.
“Then why should Southport have to do something that the county is not willing to reciprocate,” Southport’s Fire Chief Charles Drew questioned.
Both sides say it’s time for a new EMS Franchise Agreement between the county and the city. Fire Chief Charles Drew said there are changes in the proposed agreement.
“The old franchise agreement kept us in our territorial jurisdiction, and this [franchise] agreement has some strong wording in it, to where we have to go on standby or run calls all the way through Brunswick County,” Drew said.
Which he says will cause their ambulances to have longer call response times, which he says is already at 3 minutes 45 seconds on average, or not be able to respond at all.
“Right now, we’re stretching the limit with the number of calls we get,” said Drew.
A part of the problem is that Brunswick County wants Southport EMS to be on standby sometimes outside the city. Not to mention, Chief Drew says the county took back $36,000 of funding to cover other municipalities. However, Cathy Lytch, Brunswick County’s Health and Human Services Executive Director says all they’re trying to do is look to expand due to the increase in the county’s population.
“I think where I’m seeing some people meaning, it’s a takeover, but it’s not a takeover. It’s to ensure that we can use all players in the system to cover the county,” Lytch said.
The EMS Franchise Agreement outlines all expectations from every entity of the EMS system. It is only a proposal. Southport’s Board of Alderman says they’re going to try to amend a new one by mid-November.
