LEE COUNTY, N.C. — Nearly 30 minutes without an ambulance at a Lee County-Southern Lee football game has prompted scrutiny from county commissioners after two players were injured during the Oct. 30 match up.
One player suffered an apparent broken collarbone and was ultimately taken for treatment by his own parents rather than EMS, The Rant reported. A second injury brought the game to a halt as players, coaches and spectators waited for an ambulance to arrive on scene, a delay that became the focus of discussion at a Lee County Board of Commissioners meeting.
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Local attorney Chris deLambert, who was doing play-by-play commentary at the game, told commissioners that many in attendance were surprised to learn no ambulance was stationed on site.
“As we get into next year’s budget, I would ask that you insist there be a line item and that you fund that very specifically,” deLambert said. “A catastrophic injury is an inevitability in high school football, and 20 or 25 minutes could very well be the difference between life and death.”
There is no state law requiring an ambulance to be on standby during high school football games. Legislation passed in 2023 does require school districts to have emergency action plans addressing serious injuries, communication, available medical equipment and emergency transportation.
Lee County Schools spokesperson James Alverson said medical staff, including a licensed athletic trainer, four athletic first responders, and longtime team physician Dr. Robert McConville, were on site at the game.
