CRESCENT, Okla. — An ambulance service in a small community is being forced to shut down due to insufficient funding.
Crescent EMS staffs two ambulances around the clock and can reach residents within five minutes, but the city has less than $10,000 left in its budget for the ambulance which isn’t enough to cover payroll.
The nearest EMS help is now 20 minutes away.
“When you’re talking about a medical emergency, the sooner the better,” Kent Foster, EMS director.
The city held a raffle to raise funds and continue the service for another few weeks, but they will be ending ambulance service on Sunday, reported FOX25.
The city is exploring options to replace the service by partnering with surrounding communities and contracting private EMS companies.