SALEM, W.Va. — Following a vote Monday by Salem elected officials, emergency medical services provided by the city will cease.
Harrison County Emergency Squad Executive Director Rick Rock said their ambulances will fill the void for now.
“At about 10 a.m. this morning, we began covering the Salem area with staff and equipment we have,” Rock said. “From a short-term perspective, we’re going to provide that coverage to the City of Salem.”
Harrison County Commissioner Patsy Trecost said he met with the county administrator to make sure a plan was in place to meet the emergency medical needs of the city.
“We need to make sure that the emergency services that we need to provide throughout the whole county have a game plan to reach the people in need as fast as possible,” Trecost said.
Trecost wasn’t completely clear on the reason for the closure, but said they expect to meet with Salem officials and learn more in the near future.
“We fully plan to find out exactly what happened,” Trecost said. “More importantly, from a County Commission standpoint, make sure that Salem knows we’re not just going to leave them out there alone.”
Problems with EMS and volunteer fire department funding statewide have been a developing concern in recent years. Several departments and agencies in rural areas as well as urban areas like Star City have folded recently, creating coverage concerns in communities big and small.
“I think it’s going to take some actions from our state government and really the federal government because it’s a nationwide problem to really be able to provide that service to the outlying areas that still need coverage,” Rock said.
Delegate Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, has been working on the issue. He said progress has been made but there needs to be permanent funding options to ensure these units are viable and can serve their communities.
“It’s just starting to get deeper, and what’s going to happen, I fear, is that this is going to get more and more across the state,” Statler said.
City officials in Salem have not provided a reason for the closure or responded to a request for comment.
Story by Mike Nolting, WAJR