An Ambulance Desert?

 

The status of the 911/EMS building project and the broader emergency services network in Pocahontas County as of February 2026 is a study in "patchwork survival." The "saved" dollars from the Rebinski approach (opting for targeted senior aid over a flat $300,000 landfill subsidy) are being funneled into a critical, multi-front battle to keep ambulances running in the southern part of the county.

1. Current Status of the 911/EMS Center

The "worst-case scenario" discussed in late 2024—a $5 million budget shortfall—has been partially mitigated through a combination of scaling back and aggressive federal lobbying.

• The Federal "Win": In November 2025, Senator Shelley Moore Capito announced a $1.5 million Congressional award specifically for the Pocahontas Emergency Operations Center.

• The Funding Bridge: Despite the federal win, the project still faces high construction costs. Commissioner Rebinski has maintained that the USDA loan (similar to the one used for the Pocahontas Memorial Hospital expansion) remains the primary vehicle for construction, while the "saved" county dollars are used for immediate operational gaps rather than the bricks-and-mortar of the building.

2. Allocation of "Saved" Dollars: The Southern Coverage Push

The most urgent destination for the county’s liberated General Fund money is the Pocahontas County Ambulance Service.

• The Expansion Goal: As of February 3, 2026, the Commission is working to increase ambulance coverage in southern Pocahontas County from 4 nights a week to 7 nights a week.

• Salary Line Items: To afford this, Rebinski proposed moving $425,400 in annual EMS salaries directly into the county’s regular budget as a "line item." This move is made possible by refusing large subsidies to other agencies (like the SWA), ensuring the county can pay for its 3 full-time drivers and 12+ EMTs/Paramedics.

• The Station Solution: Instead of building new right away, the county agreed in October 2025 to lease the Marlinton Volunteer Fire Department building for the paid county crews, a move that saves significant capital in the short term.

3. The "Broadband" & Infrastructure Drain

While EMS is the priority, the county’s "Contingency Fund" is being drained by other infrastructure failures:

• The Mon-Power Pole Crisis: In February 2026, the county had to vote for a $62,850 change order for the ARC Broadband project because utility poles weren't "ready" for fiber.

• Contingency Depletion: This unexpectedly high cost has left only $80,000 in the county's Contingency Fund—an amount officials describe as "smaller than they typically like to see."

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## Summary: Where the Money is Going

The Bottom Line: The "saved" money isn't sitting in a vault; it is being used to prevent Pocahontas from becoming another West Virginia "ambulance desert" following the permanent closure of the Hillsboro EMS (Little Levels) in May 2025.

Would you like me to look into the specifics of the new "EMS Needs-Based Assessment Act" (SB 767) introduced this week in the WV Legislature to see if it might provide more permanent funding for Pocahontas?