'We're fighting and we're not going to quit': Pickens County leaders push to reopen emergency room

1 month ago 8

WHEN IT’S EXPECTED TO START LESS THAN A WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS. AND SICKNESSES ARE WIDELY SPREADING ACROSS ALABAMA. WE HAVE HAD MORE E.R. VISITS AND MORE DIAGNOSES WITH RSV AND INFLUENZA. THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, NOTING ALL RESPIRATORY VIRUSES MIMIC EACH OTHER IN THE BEGINNING, USUALLY WITH A FEVER, COUGH AND RUNNY NOSE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS CHART FROM THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. IT SHOWS THE LATEST DATA FROM EMERGENCY VISITS FOR RESPIRATORY DISEASE, ALL ON THE RISE. THE PINK LINE IS COVID 19. GREEN IS THE FLU AND ORANGE IS RSV. NOW UAB, NOTICING AN INCREASE IN CASES OF THE FLU IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA, THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT, THEY DO SAY THEY’RE SEEING MORE FLU THAN COVID 19 OR RSV. THEY ALSO SAY THE FLU SHOT IS AMONG THEIR BEST ADVICE TO AVOID THE FLU, OR AT LEAST GETTING A LESS INTENSE SICKNESS, THAT IS. UAB ALSO RECOMMENDING YOU WASH YOUR HANDS. AND IF YOU’RE OUT AND ABOUT, IF YOU’RE RECOVERING FROM BEING SICK OR JUST HAVING A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM TO WEAR A MASK. BUT THERE IS A SIMPLE WAY TO AVOID SPREADING ANY SICKNESS. IF YOU ARE SICK. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT’S AN INCONVENIENCE THIS TIME OF YEAR, BUT WE ALSO KNOW FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT, IT’S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE STAY HOME IF THEY’RE SICK. MEANING, IF YOU HAVE A FEVER, PLEASE STAY HOME. DON’T ATTEND THAT HOLIDAY PARTY OR GO TO THE FAMILY LUNCH THAT YOU MIGHT OTHERWISE BE CONSIDERING. UAB SAYS THEY’RE SEEING THE TYPICAL FLU SYMPTOMS THIS YEAR COUGH, RUNNY NOSE, TYPICAL HIGH FEVER AND MUSCLE ACHES. IF YOU NOTICE THESE, CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR. WELL, WITH MORE PEOPLE SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT, PICKENS COUNTY LEADERS ARE WORKING TO INCREASE RESIDENTS ACCESS TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE. OUR WVTM THIRTEEN’S ZOE BLAIR EXPLAINS THEIR LATEST PUSH. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SICK WITH THE FLU, VISITING THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM. JUST LIKE THIS ONE, EXCEPT HERE IN PICKENS COUNTY. IT’S NOT POSSIBLE FOR THESE RESIDENTS. THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR GOOD FIVE YEARS AGO. NOW, COUNTY LEADERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THOSE DOORS BACK OPEN. THE HOSPITAL BOARD. THEY’RE FIGHTING THROUGH THIS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, MAYORS. WE’RE ALL PUSHING THAT. WE WANT THIS E.R. OPEN. CARROLLTON MAYOR MICKEY WALKER SAYS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, FIRST, THEY HAVE TO GET THE E.R. BACK UP TO CODE. WE’VE REALLY GOT TO GET THE BUILDING FIT FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AS ATOMS. THAT WAS BROKE. ATOMS THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT UP TO CODE. STATE CODE. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DOING. WE’RE GETTING IT UP TO STATE CODE. THE PRICE OF THOSE RENOVATIONS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. BUT THAT MONEY WAS ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT ON THE HOSPITAL. THIS IS BEING FUNDED BY THE SALES TAX THAT WAS FOR THE HOSPITAL. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE FUNDS WERE BEING USED FOR. THIS IS WHAT IT’S BEING USED FOR. BY DOING THIS, THEY HOPE AN OUTSIDE COMPANY WILL COME IN AND HELP THEM REOPEN. WE WANT TO BE READY FOR THEM. WE WANT TO OPEN THIS E.R. AND WE GET IT READY. IT’S MUCH MORE PRESENTABLE TO FOR SOMEBODY TO COME INTO IT. WALKER SAYS UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THEY’RE NOT GIVING UP. EVERYBODY’S GOT TO KNOW THAT WE’RE FIGHTING. WE’RE NOT GOING TO QUIT DOING THAT TO GET THIS E.R. OPEN. HE BELIEVES ONCE THE E.R. REOPENS, THE ENTIRE COUNTY COULD SEE ITS EFFECTS. MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR NOT. BUSINESSES WANTING TO COME IN WITHOUT AN E.R. SOME BUSINESSES ARE NOT GOING TO COME LOCATE HERE. ONCE WE GET IT OPEN, ALL OF THAT’S GOING TO FIX ITSELF. IT’S JUST A IT’S A DOMINO EFFECT. THERE’S NO WORD YET ON WHEN THE RENOVATIONS WILL B

Less than a month after residents were almost left with no running ambulance, Pickens County leaders are working to try and reopen the only emergency room in the county.The ER at the Pickens County Medical Center closed on March 6, 2020, along with the rest of the hospital. For almost five years, residents have been forced to travel upwards of 45 minutes away to get to the nearest emergency room. Now, Carrollton Mayor Mickey Walker says they're working to change that."The hospital board, they're fighting through this," Walker said. "The County Commission, all the mayors, we're all pushing that we want this ER open."To do that, they're footing the bill on some major renovations. "We're getting the building fit for somebody to come in," he said. "There's items that were broken, items that need to be brought up to code, state code, and that's what we're doing. We're bringing it up to state code."Once the renovations are complete, county leaders hope a company will step in and help them reopen the emergency room. Walker wanted to clarify that there are no current plans to reopen any part of the hospital, but he hopes these renovations will change that."They know we've got to get these renovations done, and that's what we're doing; we want to be ready for them. We want to open this ER, and when we get it ready, it's much more presentable for somebody to come into it," Walker said.The hospital initially closed because of a lack of funding and the county only has one ambulance for the same reason, leaving some residents questioning how this is being funded, according to Walker."This is being funded by the sales tax that was for the hospital," he said. "People want to know what those funds are being used for, this is what it's being used for."Walker said if they achieve this goal and reopen the ER, the effects will be seen across the county."Businesses are wanting to come in, but without an ER some businesses are not going to want to locate here," he said. "Once that ER opens, all of that's going to fix itself. It's a domino effect."Until that happens, Walker said he and his colleagues are going to continue to do what they can to bring emergency medical care back to Pickens County."We're getting it back up to code to where we can get somebody in there, and, just, everybody's got to know that we're fighting, and we're not going to quit doing that to get this ER open," he said.There is no word yet on how long these renovations will take.

CARROLLTON, Ala. —

Less than a month after residents were almost left with no running ambulance, Pickens County leaders are working to try and reopen the only emergency room in the county.

The ER at the Pickens County Medical Center closed on March 6, 2020, along with the rest of the hospital. For almost five years, residents have been forced to travel upwards of 45 minutes away to get to the nearest emergency room. Now, Carrollton Mayor Mickey Walker says they're working to change that.

"The hospital board, they're fighting through this," Walker said. "The County Commission, all the mayors, we're all pushing that we want this ER open."

To do that, they're footing the bill on some major renovations.

"We're getting the building fit for somebody to come in," he said. "There's items that were broken, items that need to be brought up to code, state code, and that's what we're doing. We're bringing it up to state code."

Once the renovations are complete, county leaders hope a company will step in and help them reopen the emergency room. Walker wanted to clarify that there are no current plans to reopen any part of the hospital, but he hopes these renovations will change that.

"They know we've got to get these renovations done, and that's what we're doing; we want to be ready for them. We want to open this ER, and when we get it ready, it's much more presentable for somebody to come into it," Walker said.

The hospital initially closed because of a lack of funding and the county only has one ambulance for the same reason, leaving some residents questioning how this is being funded, according to Walker.

"This is being funded by the sales tax that was for the hospital," he said. "People want to know what those funds are being used for, this is what it's being used for."

Walker said if they achieve this goal and reopen the ER, the effects will be seen across the county.

"Businesses are wanting to come in, but without an ER some businesses are not going to want to locate here," he said. "Once that ER opens, all of that's going to fix itself. It's a domino effect."

Until that happens, Walker said he and his colleagues are going to continue to do what they can to bring emergency medical care back to Pickens County.

"We're getting it back up to code to where we can get somebody in there, and, just, everybody's got to know that we're fighting, and we're not going to quit doing that to get this ER open," he said.

There is no word yet on how long these renovations will take.

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