As in any rural community, emergency medical services (EMS) are a staple in making sure residents receive the best possible care.

With the closest hospitals being on average 30-45 minutes away, our county’s EMS providers are often the first to arrive on scene to administer professional patient care.

On May 1, EMS services in the county announced the start of their annual fund drive. Each year, the drive is held through August to help raise funds to keep EMS services in the area operating.

In a countywide letter recently sent out by Charlotte County Rescue Squad Captain Bill Mayhew, statistics show 1,887 emergencies were responded to by the squad last year, totaling 130,203 miles traveled. Additionally, 8,869 man hours were logged.

As a small county, the amount of work and time EMS providers dedicate to making sure our community receives the proper emergency care when needed is impressive.

As of now, there are currently three different EMS stations that operate on each end of the county. This ensures that call times are as low as possible.

I believe rescue squad volunteers here have done us a great service, especially since there is no hospital in the county. Immediate care can often be the difference between life and death.

“With the tough economic times that are upon us and the increasing cost of operations, once again, as in the past, we ask you — our friends and neighbors of Charlotte County — for your support,” officials said in the letter.

As citizens of Charlotte County, I encourage you to come together to ensure that the future of EMS services in our county continue to operate at the highest level possible.

Italia Gregory is community editor of The Charlotte Gazette. Her email address is Italia.Gregory@TheCharlotteGazette.com.