As Sampson County commissioners prepare to finalize the upcoming 2026-27 budget, leaders within Emergency Services appeared before the board Monday night to outline ongoing operational challenges and emphasize the importance of continued support for emergency response services across the county.
Jerry Cashwell, interim EMS director, alongside 911 Telecommunications Director Cliff Brown and EMS Chief Erick Herring, addressed commissioners discussing concerns surrounding staffing, recruitment and the rising operational costs impacting emergency services.
Cashwell explained that while the proposed budget includes only a slight increase over last year’s allocation, the department remains focused on maintaining operations without reducing services to county residents.
“There’s definitely no fluff in the budget,” Cashwell said following the meeting. “It’s a pretty straightforward budget. Very little change from last year. I think operationally, we’ll be fine in the budget and can definitely operate in what the county manager has recommended.”
According to Sampson County’s adopted 2025-26 budget, Emergency Services received more than $14 million in funding across EMS operations, communications and emergency management divisions. The proposed 2026-27 budget would provide only a modest increase largely tied to rising operational expenses, equipment costs and supplies.
Cashwell noted that most of the increase stems from inflationary costs associated with maintaining daily operations, particularly within EMS services and the county’s communications center.
“You’ll see a little bit of an increase in the operating budget, but that is primarily due to just a general across-the-board increase in equipment and supplies,” Cashwell explained. “Mainly what we’ll see (is) on the EMS side or in the communication center.”
Even with the department remaining operationally stable, Cashwell acknowledged that recruitment and retention continue to present major hurdles for emergency services agencies statewide, including Sampson County.
“Recruitment and retention, especially on the EMS side and the communication side, remains an issue,” he said. “But we’ll work through that as well.”
One of the concerns highlighted during the meeting centered around staffing within the county’s 911 telecommunications division, where leaders said salary competitiveness continues to create recruiting challenges. Current entry-level starting pay for Sampson County 911 telecommunications employees sits at $36,632 annually, noticeably lower than several surrounding counties. According to figures presented during the meeting, entry-level telecommunications salaries begin at $45,624 in Bladen County, $41,704 in Cumberland County and $49,177 in Harnett County.
Emergency services leaders also explained that the county invests approximately $1,750 per employee for certifications and training required for emergency services personnel. However, maintaining adequate staffing levels remains difficult as departments across the state compete for a limited workforce.
Due to ongoing staffing shortages, the department has also accrued overtime costs as existing employees continue working additional shifts to ensure emergency coverage remains available throughout the county. Brown and Herring emphasized during the meeting that those staffing shortages continue to place a strain on day-to-day operations throughout both EMS and communications services.
Cashwell noted that while additional funding and higher salaries could assist with attracting employees, the issue extends beyond pay alone.
“I’m not going to say more funds couldn’t help it,” he remarked. “Definitely, if you had a higher salary, you may attract some more. But I think there’s other elements that maybe contribute to it or some things we can work on that would help both recruitment and retention.”
Despite those challenges, Cashwell stated the department is not anticipating any staffing reductions in the upcoming fiscal year.
“We’ve not had a reduction or are not looking at a reduction in staffing this year,” he said. “Our numbers have pretty much stayed the same.”
Cashwell also expressed confidence that county commissioners recognize the importance of emergency services and will continue doing what they can to support the department while balancing other county needs throughout the budget process.
“I think they’ve got a tough enough job with not just our budget, but budgets across the board, and trying to maintain services the best they can,” Cashwell stated. “We feel pretty confident that the commissioners will work as hard as they can to fund as much as they can.”
Commissioners are expected to continue budget discussions in the coming weeks ahead of the official adoption of the county’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget.