BY JONATHAN BYM
Staff Writer
Moore County Emergency Services has been focusing for the past several years on how to extend paramedic services to the county’s farthest reaches. Part of that solution now stands ready in Eagle Springs.
On Nov. 1, Moore County EMS Medic 68 came online, based out of the newly renovated Eagle Springs Fire Department. The unit there uses what responders call a “quick response vehicle,” or QRV. It’s a smaller Sprinter style van, compared to the full-sized ambulances.
“From a surge capacity standpoint, annually these QRVs are making about 150 transports a year,” EMS Chief Grant Hunsucker said. “That’s 150 times that one of our residents is not having to experience an increased response time or a delay in care.”
With the QRV stationed in Eagle Springs, one paramedic will work a 12-hour shift in one of the larger, remote fire districts in the county.
“What we look at — when we look at strategic placement — is geographical area and the call volume to try and figure out what’s the best resource to put in a location,” county Public Safety Director Bryan Phillips said. “If you think about it as two rings, you’ve got an outer ring with Westmoore with a QRV, Glendon with a QRV, Woodlake with a QRV and Eagle Springs with a QRV. The farthest parts with the farthest outreach points get the QRV, and our ambulances are closer to the core population.”
The QRVs are fully equipped, like a full-size transport truck, but allow for easier transport into isolated areas, and can also work for transport purposes. Previously, the county used sport utility vehicles and trucks as QRVs, but they lacked transport capabilities.
“In the event we have a busy day or a bad call, we can get a fireman to drive and make it a transport truck,” Phillips said.
And unlike ambulances that are used for transport in emergency situations, QRVs have the ability to be more readily available.
“Once they are clear from that call, they are back available in that district. A transport truck receives that call, has to go to the hospital, and then if it’s a busy day, they might not get back to their district picking up calls they are closer to,” Phillips said.
Both transport vehicles have the same equipment, but the ambulance is staffed with two personnel and has more space inside. The QRV vehicle costs $200,000 less than an ambulance.
The new QRV marks the 11th paramedic unit in the county. The placement in Eagle Springs will serve a district without an EMS presence, including the Samarcand Training Academy.
“That was a driving force to help support that as it continues to grow. There is a lot of high-risk training going on out there,” Phillips said. “That allows us to support the community, and also support Samarcand.”
Phillips said the next QRV planned to be added onto the fleet will go in at Station X, which is planned to go on J Dowdy Road in Carthage. From there, the Public Safety Department leadership will continue to track data.
“Managing and tracking the call volume, and historical data, if we see the opportunity and the need to move one of these QRV stations to a full transport station, at that point we would only have to ask for four new staff positions,” Hunsucker said. “That’s some of the thought for preparing for future growth.”
Eagle Springs will unveil its renovated department in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 6.
Contact Jonathan Bym at (910) 693-2470 or jonathan@thepilot.com.
