To the Editor:

At a recent Beaufort county commissioners meeting a vote of 5-2 was rendered to eliminate the Chocowinity EMS. Commissioners Buzzeo and Booth were the only two that voted to keep this vital EMS service.
I’m concerned that the Beaufort county commissioners voted against the Chocowinity EMS considering the fact that this EMS service does NOT cost Beaufort county one red cent.
The EMS vehicles are housed in the Chocowinity fire dept building, which is owned by the Chocowinity fire dept. The EMS vehicles were purchased and are maintained totally from monies gotten through donations, fund raisers and a 3 1/2 cent tax on ONLY those residents living in the Chocowinity EMS area of responsibility. The monies gotten through these donations, fund raisers and resident tax also covers the salaries for the EMS Paramedics that man the ambulances 24/7. No funds are received or requested from the Beaufort County Commissioners.
The Chocowinity EMS has, on numerous occasions, backed up Washington, Vanceboro and other area EMS teams when they were out on other calls. This backup resulted in the Chocowinity EMS making emergency runs transporting patients to area hospitals on many occasions.
Additionally, Beaufort County spends a huge amount of money annually paying “FOR PROFIT” ambulance service to transport patients to area hospitals. The Chocowinity EMS ambulance service has made many runs to the Vidant hospital in Greenville and received payments for that service which enhances their ability to provide the top medical emergency service to patients in their area of responsibility and adjoining towns.
The Chocowinity area has many senior citizens, especially in Cypress Landing, who would be potential patients for this EMS Paramedic service.
Also consider that ordinary “FOR PROFIT” ambulance service do NOT have EMS Paramedic trained personal aboard each unit which would result in those patients being picked up NOT getting the life saving medical attention requiring medications, etc, that ONLY Paramedic trained personal can administer.
Additional to the level of medical service the Chocowinity EMS Paramedics provide, relying on outside ambulance service will greatly add to the amount of time it takes for the ambulance to respond to a call in the Chocowinity area as well as not being able to respond until they complete the call they may be on at the time of the call from Chocowinity.
Considering the above, I must ask WHY 5 Beaufort County Commissioners feel it is in everyone’s best interest to eliminate the Chocowinity EMS Paramedic service especially with that critical medical service NOT costing Beaufort county any money?

William Buonanno
Chocowinity