PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – Regional One EMS, Pittsylvania County's backup EMS provider for much of the county, currently has two ambulances to serve all of the county, an area of almost 1,000 square miles.
With the Altavista Rescue Squad closing earlier this year, one ambulance has been permanently stationed in Hurt to help cover calls in that area.
Regional One EMS executive director Tim Duffer says being able to operate a third ambulance could potentially save lives.
"It would decrease some of the response time in the Chatham area. That's where a lot of the call volume was," Duffer explained.
Tuesday night, Pittsylvania County supervisors were expected to vote to pay Regional One EMS to start operating a third ambulance.
"Really, it's their decision," said Duffer. "We can only do what they request based on the contract."
The current contract ends at the end of the month.
At Tuesday night's meeting, supervisors were scheduled to discuss extending the contract for five or 12 months.
The third ambulance would cost the county an additional $62,000 over the five months on top of what the county is currently paying Regional One EMS.
With the 12-month extension option, the total amount of the county's contract with Regional One EMS would increase to $350,000 per year.
Supervisors vice chairman Joe Davis says that's where a tax increase comes in.
"We're going to have to have that third vehicle. It's not an option. We've got to have it. With $350,000 that comes out of nowhere, just that amount alone will require one penny in tax increase."
Also included in the 12-month extension option would be a quick response vehicle, which Regional One EMS would operate primarily to serve the northern portion of the county.
The tax increase wouldn't take effect until the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2018.
He also says budget cuts can't be ruled out either.
In the mean time, to pay for the third ambulance, which Davis hopes to have operating immediately after supervisors officially vote to pay for it, if supervisors vote to extend the contract for five months the extra $62,000 would come from surplus money from county departments.
If supervisors vote to extend the contract for 12 months, the $350,000 would come from the surplus money and then whatever amount remained to be covered would likely come from the general fund.