Mercer County EMS shuts down services

Mercer County Emergency Medical Services announced on Wednesday that it would be ceasing operations due to a lack of financial support.

Raintree Health, which operates the service, said the decision was made after discussions with Mercer County about low wages, staffing levels, and a "relatively small stipend contribution compared to other surrounding counties," according to a release.

The release states that EMS services are considered non-essential in Kentucky and many other states and that it is generally not feasible to operate without stipends or assistance from the government. Raintree says that it has worked to find a solution to the issue with little "reciprocated interest" from the local government.

Over the weekend, the Mercer County Fiscal Courthouse released a statement saying that they still have a mutual aid agreement with surrounding counties, but Mercer County EMS says that is not a long-term solution.