Vance County Management, on behalf of the Vance County EMS Department, has reached out to the state to ask for a strike team. The problem is positive COVID cases.
Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News, “We are working through a number of positive COVID cases in our EMS department as is the case in the general public and as a result additional EMS employees have been put on quarantine and sick leave reducing the number of available EMTs and Paramedics. We are working with our in-county first responders and neighboring counties to fill in any gaps…” He said the purpose of reaching out was “to make arrangements from across the state should we need additional assistance down the line.”
Vance County has already heard back from agencies from neighboring counties and beyond, and McMillen said, “…We are doing our best to work through the situation. We have also had a number of off duty firefighters who are willing to step up and assist as well. I wouldn’t say we are at crisis level, but we are doing what we need to stay ahead of it as best we can and to get our folks who are working long hours some relief.”
Vance County EMS was recently selected as a 2020 Mission Lifeline Award recipient by the American Heart Association. On Wednesday, Sept 23, 2020, County Manager Jordan McMillen and Chairman of the Board Gordon Wilder presented Paramedic Christopher Rigg with a certificate of appreciation for his role in coordinating the application process. The County also presented Director Javier Plummer and the entire department with a certificate in recognition of their accomplishments leading to this award. McMillen said the County appreciates all public safety workers and first responders and congratulates Vance EMS on this accomplishment.
Firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, deputies, police and other forms of law enforcement and emergency personal rush into burning buildings, run into homes, reach into private vehicles and more. Sometimes it’s even known these homes, buildings and vehicles have COVID positive people and patients inside. McMillen said, “While we are taking all of the precautions with PPE and other means as we can, it is inevitable that it reaches our public safety staff as well.”
These working and giving heroes are local as well as far and wide and are just the type of people who come together to serve here, there and where ever there is need.
Vance County is working with Granville Vance Public Health and “following all of their guidance,” McMillen said.