In a recent Mitchell County Board of Commissioners meeting held on March 18, Wade Huntsinger, the interim director of Mitchell Medics, outlined the changes made to the county’s EMS system, following a period of morale challenges and staffing issues.
Huntsinger talked about efforts to improve the base culture.
“Our pay is now competitive with the surrounding counties, and we have good recruitment going on right now,” he told Mitchell County commissioners.
Initiatives such as participating in fire department meetings and introducing a medic of the month program with a $1,000 bonus aim to build goodwill and mutual respect among emergency service providers.
Challenges such as operational delays and maintaining adequate coverage during high-demand periods were discussed. Commissioners discussed the issue of ensuring that at least two trucks remain within the county at all times. At times, there has only been one truck in the county in addition to a quick response vehicle.
Addressing commissioner’s concerns, Craig Sullivan of Watuaga Medics said, “Anytime there’s just one truck in the county it makes me very nervous, yes. Because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Huntsinger emphasized the ongoing initiatives to ensure that two paramedics respond to every scene, although they are not on the same truck.
He explained that there had been previous missteps in hiring practices, and told commissioners that all staff, including those with basic EMTs that had been inadvertently hired, are being effectively integrated and utilized within the system. Mitchell Medics is currently in the interview process so they can deploy dual-paramedic teams as stipulated in the county contract.
In the coming weeks, Huntsinger anticipates the addition of a third personnel on each truck. Huntsinger’s tenure as interim director follows the departure of Bryant Reid and is part of broader structural changes within Mitchell Medics, which began contracting with Watauga Medics in 2021.