Overwhelmed – 911 Faces Increasing Calls And Staffing Shortage
ASHEBORO NC – Recently the Randolph Hub highlighted how the state wide paramedic shortage, increased call volume, and trouble hiring and retaining staff is overwhelming Randolph County EMS. It’s an article that is worth reading. The headline read “Time for EMS to call 911?”, but perhaps the next headline should read “911: Don’t call us, we’re busy too.”
The Randolph County 9-1-1 center is also overwhelmed as they take on an ever increasing number of calls. That increase is not just COVID-19 calls says Director of Randolph County Emergency Services Donovan Davis in an email, “we’ve seen an increase in fire service, law enforcement, EMS, and rescue calls. These include burglary, suspicious persons/vehicles, larceny, assault, chest pain, strokes, seizure, motor vehicle accidents, over...