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Chapin residents voice continued concerns about EMS response times

Following a community-organized meeting at the end of April, followed by a Lexington County-led meeting in May, now community members are hosting another meeting.

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Chapin residents in a more rural portion of Lexington County are meeting Monday night to discuss the need for faster EMS response times.

They tell News 19 it's because they've seen too many families suffer as a result of it.

Many have been sharing their stories of stressful times waiting for emergency personnel to respond to take their loved ones to the hospital.

"People have died …We've told you story after story after story and these people are coming out and they're scared," Robin Legg, Chapin resident said.

Monday night, community members are hosting another meeting, sharing what leaders in Lexington County say about how their EMS response system works.

"We have several slides from the county that we're going to show so it's coming straight from the county. We also are going to show some Google maps showing how long it takes from the fire station to the end of the peninsulas," Heather Burkhart, Chapin resident said.

Burkhart and Legg tell News 19 they don't believe response times are fast enough.

Roslyn Murray, a Chapin resident explains it took more than a half hour to get EMS to respond to her home when her husband couldn't breathe while sick with COVID.

"I've never seen anything like it in my entire life. I'm 47 years old. I mean, I've experienced emergenices and health emergencies before, but never in  a situation where it would take 38 minutes to receive care. That's terrifying," Murray said.

But Lexington County leaders explain that efforts are being made. 

"We have phase two that's going to be starting in July. That phase two for that private ambulance company that the county has contracted with will be to take on lower acuity calls. The I'm not feeling well, I have a stomach ache, I broke my ankle," said Charli Wessinger, Lexington County council member for district six.

Wessinger explains this new implementation will alleviate Lexington County EMS of approximately 600 calls a month.

She adds the county is hoping to give these workers a raise in the upcoming budget and that the county pays for students to go to paramedic school. 

This group of Chapin residents hosted a meeting a few months ago, then Lexington County hosted a meeting in May.

Tonight's meeting is at 7 p.m. at Timberlake Country Club.

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