Kate Seckinger is reporting in The Daily Mail Durham officials have been presented with the details of the proposed Greene County EMS plan. During a recent public meeting, the Durham Town Board learned that the plan would reduce the amount of time it takes an ambulance to get on the road by seven minutes. Under the proposal, a new countywide service would have nine ambulances during the day, and seven at night, all staffed with an EMT and paramedic. With the ambulances stationed throughout the county, local municipal units would be eliminated. Ambulance Task Force Co-chair Aidan O'Connor told the Durham board the system would dramatically improve the quality of EMS services, with the latest equipment, better backup, less competition for personnel and faster, more responsive service. Richie Lendin, the ambulance administrator in Durham, is opposed to the county plan because of the requirements he said crews will be asked to fulfill. Durham Town Supervisor Bill Carr Jr. said he is uncertain about the proposed plan, but is leaning toward opposing the inclusive county system based largely on cost. Mary Ann Ledda, of Durham, said people talk about the finances of the plan, but not the most important factor. “No one is mentioning the fact of the value of lives here,” Ledda said. “We live in a rural community where minutes matter when you have a stroke or heart attack. You’re equating a few dollars for a life. ...We live an hour from a good hospital, and if we don’t have good ambulance service, we’re going to die before we get there. This is the difference between life and death.” Town boards countywide have through November to decide if they will participate in the county plan. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.