By EMS1 Staff
LA VERNIA, Texas — An EMS agency that was the first to arrive at the scene of a deadly church shooting has been forced to close its doors after losing funding.
KENS5 reported that La Vernia EMS lost their annual $26,500 from Wilson County after commissioners voted to defund the agency.
“It’s effective pretty much immediately,” Wilson County Judge Richard Jackson said. “La Vernia EMS had already contracted to get ambulance units from the state to take care of their area. That right there tells you there was some kind of emergency, something happened.”
La Vernia EMS board president Paul Brunner said the emergency Jackson referred to was the Sutherland Springs church shooting.
“It was about the patients, it was about the people the entire time,” Brunner said. “We’re not motivated by power or position or anything like that. Our only reason to want to be in a position is for that (points toward Sutherland Springs), to literally be there at that time when you’re needed.”
Brunner added that he knows what the commissioners want.
“They would like me to resign, personally,” Brunner said.
Brunner also denied allegations that said La Vernia EMS does not have an active license.
Jackson said the reason for the defunding would not be released to the public, but added that if the agency can fix the problems identified, the county would consider reinstating the funding.