Mercer County EMS to end emergency service this month

MERCER COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – The company which operates Mercer County EMS says it will shut down services on April 27th.

Raintree Health posted the decision on its Facebook page earlier Wednesday (4/17).

In the post, Raintree said it was a difficult decision and it “was not a choice that was made easily.”

The company says the decision came after talks with Mercer County “about the staffing levels and low wages and Mercer County’s relatively small stipend contribution compared to other surrounding counties.”

Raintree Health continued by saying, “In Kentucky and many other states EMS services are considered non-essential.” “Generally, it is not feasible for private ambulance services to operate without governmental assistance or stipends.”

The company says it intends to provide emergency services until noon, on April 27th.

It’s not clear how emergency coverage in Mercer County will be handled after that.