If you are hurt and you call 911, you expect an ambulance to come rushing to you with help. In Jones County in the east, folks often have to rely on volunteers, but right now they're running low on first responders.
Volunteer rescue workers at Trenton EMS say they are in desperate need of volunteers. In the state of North Carolina, you have to have a minimum of 8 certified members to operate a rescue squad. Right now in Trenton they have 9; most of whom can't get to calls during the day because of full time jobs.
They have one full time paid crew, and if that team is busy they have to rely on volunteers or a crew from outside the county.
"When you call 911 and it's your family in dire need. It's your family laying there hurting or having a possible heart attack you want them to get help and you want them to get help as quick as possible, but without volunteers we can't do that," said Volunteer Rescue Worker Karen Mercer.
While Trenton is low on volunteers, it is a countywide problem. We also checked with Craven and Pamlico counties, and they also say it is hard to find volunteers willing to take six months of classes to get certified, and then take the time to respond to emergency calls.
