RANDOLPH COUNTY—A Piedmont Triad county is working on giving people extra protection during emergencies, and hopefully saving lives.
Randolph County Emergency Services is building some new ambulance bases and upgrading others.
In an emergency, seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
"It can also make a difference between someone having an injury to an extremity or having to get it amputated,” said Randolph County EMS Maj. Bradley Beck.
Short response times are particularly difficult to achieve in Randolph County because it's large and rural.
"We've always had a difficulty maintaining a 10-minute response time because of the size of our county,” Beck said.
But county commissioners approved spending some tax money to close the gaps. New ambulance bases in Randleman and Uwharrie are up and running.
Workers are building a new base in Liberty right now.
Plans are in motion for new bases in Tabernacle, and the Coleridge and Erect communities.
"Hopefully, now we'll be able to maintain less than 10 minute response time,” Beck said. “Anything greater than that can be detrimental to patient outcome."
In October, workers will begin upgrading the Asheboro base.
"That will include 911, emergency management and EMS all in one central location,” said Randolph County EMS deputy director Lewis Schirloff.
In addition to the new and upgraded bases, the county is also getting five new 911 dispatchers, which will help with response time.
"We will be able to more sufficiently staff the communications center and to begin to separate the call-taking responsibilities from the dispatch responsibilities,” said Randolph County 911 communications Major Sandy Smith. “We’ll be able to pick up the calls a little quicker and get them dispatched a little quicker. It's going to be a big benefit."
Two new ambulances are also part of the expansion. The county already has one and will be getting the other within six months.