Video: MedStat Dispatch Changes Could be Coming to Monroe County

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MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — A change to the way Monroe County residents get help could soon be coming.

Some residents and county officials have started to have concerns about the way MedStat Ambulances are dispatched. Saying a delay in communication is causing a slow response, that could mean the difference between life and death.

Stephanie Thompson says the problem is not the Med Stat personnel, but having out of town dispatchers send ambulances on locations described by local residents is leading to a time delay that left her in a very scary situation.

Stephanie Thompson was working in her hair salon when she got a call, her dad cut his leg and it was not looking good.

“He was just about to bleed the death,” says Thompson.

Her quick thinking meant he didn’t.

” Ended up taking my t-shirt off, wrapping it around his leg to stop the bleeding,” says Thompson.

That got him threw till an ambulance showed up, too late in her opinion.

” Took them between 20-30 minutes to get to the house, which is about 6 point 5 miles away,” Thompson.

So she’s speaking out, trying to get some changes in Monroe county that could help others.

” Don’t want it to happen to somebody else, I would like to do anything and everything I can do to prevent it for the next person,” says Thompson.

She says ambulances should be dispatched for Monroe County, in Monroe County because locals may know landmarks by nicknames versus official names, and she’s not alone.

“They have no idea where Coontail Road is or anywhere else in this town because they’re not familiar with Monroe County,” says Thompson.

“Most people don’t know the landmarks from Winona, here, people here in Monroe County know the landmarks. If they tell you it’s Vinegar Bend, people here know that Vinegar Bend is in downtown Amory,” says Prairie Fire Chief.

Monroe County Supervisors have been discussing the need for change and could officially take action in the next few weeks.