By Joanna Putman
Police1
RAEFORD, N.C. — A rural sheriff’s office has become one of the first agencies in North Carolina to train deputies as certified paramedics and send them to 911 responses, WNCN reported.
So far, two deputies with the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office serve as certified EMTs, according to the report. Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil, who is a part-time flight medic, came up with the system as a way to tackle low staffing issues on both the police and medical side.
“Hopefully other counties and states will adopt [a dual credential personnel model] because it makes sense due to the shortage in public safety personnel even health care professionals,” the sheriff said.
Deputies with dual credentials can serve patients when medical staff are tied up with other emergencies or when crime scenes are too dangerous to send ambulance crews, according to the report. Virgil cited a recent incident where EMS personnel were busy while an emergency was unfolding. Medically trained deputies were able to resuscitate a patient while waiting for an ambulance.
“This is helping us to do both roles and not lose any time and still provide security for the scene as well as provide medical treatment for the patient that needs it,” Deputy Medic Lee Black with Hoke County Sheriff’s Office said.
Sheriff Virgil hopes to add two more deputy medics to the rotation this year, meaning the county will have 24/7 coverage, according to the report.