CHOCOWINITY — Chocowinity EMS is making good use of its “new” quick response vehicle (QRV) and it arrived just in time, according to EMS Capt. Shane Grier.

Within hours of taking possession of the former sheriff’s office car, the QRV was used during an emergency call for a patient in cardiac distress, Grier said.

The QRV is a 2008 Dodge Charger formerly used by deputies on patrol. With 168,000 miles on the speedometer, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office could no longer use the vehicle.

But Grier said mileage wasn’t a concern for EMS.

“I expect to get another 100,000 miles out of it,” Grier added. “It will be certified by the state of North Carolina just like the ambulance. In fact, it has everything on it an ambulance has except the stretcher.”

Using the former patrol car as a QRV is actually saving taxpayers money, he continued.

“Right now, except for medical supplies that we have in it, we have about $1,100 in that car,” said Grier, who added that a similar vehicle is now in use in Blounts Creek.

“It was given to us free and clear from the county. We went over it with a fine tooth comb.”

The car also brought other economical measures with it.

“It is more fuel efficient than the ambulance and it helps us keep miles off the ambulances,” Grier pointed out.

Grier said he uses the QRV when an ambulance may not be needed, or he can get a head start on emergency calls until the ambulance arrives.

“I can go out and still leave the ambulance in our service area,” Grier said. “And it can be used for free home visits to the elderly in the community, such as blood pressure checks, assisting them with medication or just general welfare checks. We’ll use it a lot for community relations.”

Grier said he hopes the use Chocowinity EMS is getting from the vehicle will override initial opposition to its new role in the community.

“It came up against some resistance from some members of the board of commissioners, but others recognized the need and potential and supported it,” Grier said.