CORDOVA, MD - Talbot County Emergency Services is planning to reduce emergency response times by building a new facility in Cordova, aimed at faster response times for areas currently underserved.
The county, which operates five emergency services locations in St. Michaels, Tilghman Island, Trappe, and two in Easton, maintains a goal of responding to calls within eight minutes. However, in Cordova and the Queen Anne-Hillsboro area, response times currently exceed that goal.
"Most of our calls are within 7.8 minutes, so we meet the standard in most cases," said Brian LeCates, director of Talbot County Emergency Services. "But in the Queen Anne-Hillsboro area, it's about 10 minutes. We want to bring that down to eight minutes."
LeCates emphasized that every minute counts, especially in life-threatening situations such as cardiac arrest. "For every minute that goes by without CPR, your chances of survival decrease by 10%," he explained.
The new building in Cordova was recently approved by county officials. The facility will sit on five acres and feature four bays, with space for storage. It will house one paramedic unit, staffed 24/7 by a paramedic and EMT team, according to LeCates.
Local resident Jackie Cheezum shared her personal experience with delayed response times. After a fall that broke her leg and crushed her ankle, it took 15 minutes for EMTs to arrive. “It was so hot, I used my flip-flop [as a pillow] because I knew it would take them a while to get here,” Cheezum said. She added that the new facility will give her and her neighbors peace of mind.
The project, fully funded by the county at an estimated cost of $1.6 million, is expected to be completed within the next nine months.
