Most would agree wholeheartedly that Hertford County is fortunate in the quality of medical service provided its residents.

That service includes everything from a full-scale wound center to on-site MRI capability at Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

But recently it was credited with saving lives in a way most would never have imagined.

One of the many services provided by the Ahoskie hospital is Lifeline, a personal response service intended to provide quick access 24 hours a day to medical services.

The service centers around a small transmitter worn by the subscriber. Pressing the button on the transmitter activates a second transmitter that contacts emergency services personnel.

The system most commonly might be used in the event of a fall, enabling a subscriber to summon help even if he or she was unable to reach a telephone.

But recently the system may well have saved the lives of an 84-year-old woman and her two granddaughters when they were the victims of a home invasion.

As the woman lay on the floor of her home, pleading with the wrongdoers, she had the presence of mind to press the Lifeline button on the transmitter worn around her neck. That resulted in the quick notification of police and in the ultimate safety of the woman and her granddaughters. Additionally, quick arrests were made in the home invasion, thusly protecting other possible victims from the suspects involved in this criminal activity.

Perhaps that offers us all occasion to pause and appreciate what an asset RCH is….a lifesaver in more ways that just providing top-notch medical care throughout the Roanoke-Chowan area.