When the advanced emergency response crew was removed from the Cobb Island Volunteer Fire Department station, we the residents of Cobb Island and southern Cobb Island Neck lost access to prompt — potentially lifesaving — emergency medical response. We were promised the crew would return, but so far, after several emails and requests sent to the County leadership, we have not been successful in getting a career EMS crew back at our station.

Approximately 2400 Charles County citizens live on or near Cobb Island, many of whom are senior citizens who are more likely to require emergency medical services. We request that Charles County Government provide us with adequate emergency medical services with a Career EMS crew 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure a timely response to all EMS calls in our area. The CIVFD has the ambulance and facilities to house them with no issues.

We are at the end of a peninsula with help coming only from one direction. Many times, units must be dispatched from as far away as King George, Bel Alton, and La Plata in response to calls in our area. This distance is significant during a medical emergency when extra travel time could make a difference in outcome.

We the undersigned request that Charles County Government's budget for the Department of Emergency Services include a career EMS unit to be permanently located at Cobb Island and that such a unit be activated as quickly as possible.