New EMS and Medical Services Foundation Established In Northampton

The Northampton County EMS and Medical Services Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c) 3, has been established in Northampton County. One of the recommendations of the Board of Supervisors-appointed EMS Task Force was to establish this foundation as a vehicle through which citizens, civic organizations, and other charitable groups could support expanded county and volunteer emergency response agencies.

H. Spencer Murray, Foundation President and CEO and a former member of that Task Force, accepted the responsibility to fund the establishment of the non-profit. IRS tax-exempt status has been received and a kick-off campaign has been planned for early Spring. Other Foundation board members are H. Furlong Baldwin, Director; John Coker, Treasurer and Director; and Cela Burge, Attorney and Director.

Murray stated, “While we cannot know all the impacts of the Nassawadox hospital relocation to Onley, we know ambulance travel and turn-around times will increase dramatically, whether at the new ER in Onley or in Norfolk. If multiple ambulances are in service a rapid response to a 911 call may not be available. This is unacceptable.”

Rural communities throughout the nation are facing this same challenge. “While Northampton cannot sustain a stand-alone ER, the Foundation’s long term goal is to establish a stabilization facility in Northampton and through advances in Telemedicine perhaps avoid some of the transports to an ER,” Murray added. Both Riverside and Sentara Hospitals are advancing rapidly in this capability.

“Local Realtors state that one of the first questions potential new residents ask is, “Where is the nearest hospital ER and doctors’ offices?” Therefore the Foundation views this as both a public health AND economic development challenge for Northampton.

“We hope the Foundation efforts will be well received by the community and together we can improve EMS and Medical Services for all Northampton citizens,” Murray said.