WINDSOR – The lack of immediate 911 emergency response from some parts of Bertie County is leaving citizens in an outrage.

Joyce Britt came before the Bertie Board of Commissioners during the public comments portion of Monday night’s regular meeting.

Britt, representing a group in the White’s Township, expressed discontent with the sporadic service of the Colerain Rescue Squad.

&uot;We’re full of elderly people and (this area is) a growing community… Black Rock, Bachelor’s Bay, Bal Gra, and Innsbrook. The people moving into those communities need to know that (rescue) service is available to them,&uot; she stated.

Britt continued, &uot;We need paid, trained EMT personnel, and we need more vehicles. Bertie is one of the largest counties in the state and it has one of the sorriest emergency services in the state as well.&uot;

Bertie County is the third largest county in the state land-wise with 741 square miles. After the dissolution of the Aulander Rescue Squad this week, the four other squads (Bertie Rescue, Lewiston-Woodville Rescue, Askewville and Colerain) are responsible for all the nearly 20,000 citizens in the county.

&uot;We need immediate medical services for this area. Not months from today, now,&uot; Britt finished.

The board took no action after Britt’s comments, but later in the meeting after it was discovered the Aulander Rescue Squad was dissolving, they instructed Emergency Management Coordinator Rickey Freeman to do a study of the capabilities of the remaining squads in the county.