LANCE GAITHER

lance.gaither@bluegrassnewsmedia.com

The Pulse of the People meetings are public forums hosted by the Boyle County Fiscal Court to allow better communication between the fiscal court and the residents of Boyle County. Although high-speed Internet and road closures were the main topics of discussion at the recent meeting held Thursday, many residents expressed concerns about response times of EMS and the sheriff’s department to calls from the area.

Many at the meeting voiced complaints about EMS taking too long to respond to emergencies, dispatchers not knowing the road numbers and first responders not being able to find houses in the area. Many people also said that GPS navigation has their addresses at the wrong location.

First District County Magistrate Tom Ellis said that people should check their addresses by GPS to make sure its correct. He said that when he first moved into his home, GPS gave wrong directions to his house. He said that if your address is incorrect to notify him and he will get it corrected. This will also make it easier for first responders to find houses at night. He also urged residents to have their address posted on both sides of their mailbox so an ambulance or deputy coming from either direction can see it.

Many people that attended the forum also wanted to know why there isn’t an EMS station in Forkland.

“90% of our runs are to Danville addresses,” said 4th District Magistrate and EMS Committee member Jason Cullen “I hate to say it this way, but it comes down to data, it would be like having a full time fire squad.”

Judge-Executive Howard Hunt also stressed that having a remote EMS station in the area would simply cost too much money for the low volume of calls that EMS has to the area, and placing a station nearby would come with higher taxes.