Hyde County EMS director, deputy director quitting over low pay, funding issues

SWAN QUARTER, N.C. (WITN) - The top two EMS managers for one Eastern Carolina county are leaving over low pay and county funding issues.

Hyde County EMS Director David White confirmed to WITN that both he and Deputy EMS Director Jeremy Kaiser resigned on Tuesday.

White said the county has a “lack of forward thinking” and it refusing to give EMS “acceptable and deserved raises” was “icing on the cake.

He told employees in an email that the two men work on an average of 300 or more hours each month and spend another 100 hours a month on the phone. “There is no work/life balance to be had.

White says his new job will not be in management, but as a paramedic, making more than he currently brings in as EMS director. “Aas EMS director at the top of my career ladder, I am going all the way back to a line level employee with no responsibility other than running calls and patient care, for a raise, and laying down the responsibilities, burdens, and the weight of an entire County’s healthcare,” he said in an email to staff.

White’s last day in Hyde County is June 17th, while Kaiser’s is June 10th. WITN has also learned that Hank Stowe, the EMS training officer has also resigned.

In a statement to WITN, the county said there will be no disruption of EMS service. “We are currently working with the NC Office of EMS and the NCDPS Emergency Management Staff and there will be no interruption of EMS services in Hyde County due to these resignations,” a county spokesman said.

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