Ambulance service must improve but expect cost to rise

News stories elsewhere in this publication record the dissatisfaction of several Panola officials concerning emergency ambulance service being provided by Med Stat EMS.
It needs to be said that incidents requiring their emergency services often follow tragedies under much stress and anguish when time and rational thinking are distorted.
You won’t hear of incidences when the local ambulance service responded in a timely manner and perhaps saved a life or prevented further injury by doing their job. That rarely sells news or makes interesting conversation.
And I need to say personal dealings with Med Stat through elderly parents and in-laws over the years have been efficient and professional.
But having said that, professional and volunteer emergency response agencies who deal with accidents and trauma on a regular basis throughout Panola County have complained about current state of ambulance response or the lack thereof.
Supervisors Board President Cole Flint was admittedly harsh with representatives of Med Stat whom he says are very nice people, but he and others in leadership are tired of getting chewed out by relatives of victims or first responders who look to Panola County to provide better.
After three meetings with Med Stat officials, Flint’s tirade may finally get results even if it costs the county more money than the $17,000 per month currently paid to subsidize the service.
But nobody in Panola County needs to suffer or die while awaiting a lost or busy ambulance.