Nailing down an individual who fits all of these requirements, has a passion for providing emergency care to our community and is willing to take on the liability and responsibility of the position of medical director – all for $12,000 a year – is a bigger feat than most might imagine.

As the Bulletin further investigates concerns within the EMS system of this county, we hope to find the issue to be more than a matter of conflicting personalities or personal agendas.

Picturing the dire situation our county would be in without a committed medical director alarms our staff. A county’s emergency medical system cannot operate without a medical director in place. Without one, first responders would not be able to administer EPI pens for something as simple as an allergic reaction.

We hope the county can put together a plan to find a new director soon and, while we agree with Commissioner Gage that the selection should not be rushed, it should take top priority.

After all, we are talking about true life or death situations and the safety of every single person who lives, works and even visits our area.