With the new 911 systems, all emergency calls must go through the county 911 system. Some citizens still try to call the hospital for an ambulance but they are told to call 911.
This and EMR training for Choctaw County volunteer firefighters was discussed in the Oct. 27 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Steve Montgomery, Choctaw County Emergency Management director, said recently questions were asked about the procedure of dispatching an ambulance to a residence.
Montgomery said some citizens in northern Choctaw County try to call North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora when they need an ambulance instead of calling 911.
With the new 911 systems, all emergency calls must go through 911 including dispatching an ambulance. NMMC-Eupora is required to tell the caller to hang up and call 911.
According to Montgomery, calls from a Cellular South phone in Choctaw County area of Hebron Road and north, are dispatched to Webster County 911 instead of Choctaw County 911.
When this happens Webster 911 calls Choctaw 911 and both stay online with the caller to dispatch the nearest emergency help.
He added the Choctaw County area of Mathiston, 911 calls are automatically dispatched to Choctaw 911.
The only way that either of those two locations can be changed is by a board order from the Choctaw County Board of Supervisors. If the board ordered, they can designate one area of Choctaw County calls to be dispatched to Webster 911.
Montgomery said all Choctaw County 911 calls need to be dispatched to Choctaw 911 for liability issues.
The board indicated they did not want to designate some calls to Webster 911.
When needed, ambulances from NMMC-Eupora respond to Choctaw County calls and vice versa.
There is no mutual aid agreement between the two counties but both help when needed.
Webster County has no legal obligation to help but they do because they want help if needed," said Marvin Weeks, an EMT with Choctaw and Webster Counties.
Montgomery said if the board asks NMMC-Eupora ambulances to cover part of Choctaw County they will want to be compensated but doesn't think that is necessary.
He said Todd Shuttles, at NMMC-Eupora EMS, said no written agreement is necessary, they would send an ambulance if needed.
"We depend on Webster EMS a good deal because they may need help," said Montgomery.
District 4 Supervisor Thomas Higgins said if other ambulance services agree to help without a written mutual aid agreement then to leave it alone.
"As long as we have a good communication system with Webster County and other ambulance services leave it alone," said Higgins.
Montgomery sad Choctaw 911 uses some of the best equipment.
"We (Choctaw 911) are better than 75 percent in the state," said Montgomery.
He also said that the Mississippi code states that no other entity can have an emergency phone line except 911.
"The code says the Sheriff's Office can't have an emergency number because calls are not recorded," said Montgomery.
Weeks said Choctaw EMS serves all of Choctaw County the best they can.
"If they're in Choctaw County we will try to serve the best we can," said Weeks.
He said most people that the Choctaw EMS picks up usually request to be taken to Eupora or Starkville hospitals.
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