Boyd County EMS adds additional truck to handle record number emergency calls

BOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) - New resources are coming to one EMS agency at a critical time.

Boyd County EMS added an additional truck and hired six new crew members to handle “the record number of calls.”

Chuck Cremeans, director of Boyd County EMS, said the agency expects to surpass 10,000 emergency calls by the end of the year.

In August 2021, the agency reported a total of 967 runs. Each day the agency averages 30 calls a day.

“I think they would still be on the rise because the other unfortunate fact is our drug overdose calls are going up also, so that’s fueling the problem too,” Cremeans said.

Cremeans said cardiac, shortness of breath, COVID-19, and overdose calls have risen.

“Currently, every third call is a COVID-19 patient that needs transported, " Cremeans said.

Brent Turvey with Boyd County EMS said having the additional truck lightens the load on crews and increases response time.

“It means you’re going to have more of a chance of having an ambulance closer and respond faster,” Turvey said.

The new truck will be staffed 24/7.

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