Remember EMS at county budget time

Not too many budgets ago, Oconee County doubled the allocation to help underwrite Prisma Heath Oconee EMS.  But the amount, according to Prisma Health officials, pales as to the true costs of providing a countywide ambulance operation.  In fact, the Prisma Oconee chief operating officer, said the Oconee EMS is running an annual deficit of $2.3 million.  Said Prisma Health Oconee’s Hunter Kome: “No other (South Carolina) county pays so little for EMS Services.”  Kome was joined by Aaron Nix, who heads Prisma Health EMS in the Upstate, to request Oconee County Council to consider increasing from $300 thousand the county amount that is paid for EMS.  Kome concedes it’ll take more than one budget cycle to allow Oconee EMS to stop its financial bleeding.  Council took no action last night, but each of its members was highly complimentary of the professionalism of local EMS workers and for their prompt response to health emergencies.  Nix also explained the arrangements Oconee EMS has with area helicopter services which can respond within minutes to pick up patients in need of immediate life-saving care.