When West Virginians call 911, they know there will be a dispatcher on the other end of the line, who will ask us one simple question.

“What’s your emergency?”

Dispatchers then communicate the needs of West Virginians to the first responders in our communities, and those paramedics, EMTs and firefighters take the calls that often save our lives.

But who responds when it is the first responders who have an emergency?

Emergency medical services throughout West Virginia are frantically calling the State Capitol asking the governor and the Legislature to dispatch the votes they need to ensure that ambulances are properly equipped and staffed with well-trained paramedics and EMTs.

Help is nearing the scene, but the state’s response time to this issue is dragging.

The West Virginia Legislature earlier this year came close to adopting House Bill 3153, a critical measure that would have supported EMS and volunteer fire departments throughout the state. Lawmakers could not agree on how to fund the legislation, so the call to support first responders effectively went unanswered for the session.

The West Virginia Legislature’s Joint Committee on EMS and Volunteer Fire Departments in May gave HB 3153 a new push.

They asked Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, and House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, to urge Gov. Jim Justice to add the bill to any upcoming special session he may call to let lawmakers respond to the call to support first responders.

West Virginia has lost over 1,000 certified personnel during the last three years, and new training initiatives have only replaced a fraction of those needed to ensure timely emergency response.

That is not due to a lack of interest in caring for our communities.

On the contrary, there are plenty of people who complete emergency medical services training in West Virginia each year.

However, once they are certified, EMTs and paramedics can take jobs just across state lines in any direction to earn between $2 and $3 more an hour.

And within the state, ambulance agencies are facing new competition to retain their employees as West Virginia’s economic development success is creating opportunities for better paying careers with less mental stress outside the field of EMS.

The Northern Panhandle is experiencing a promising resurgence of economic activity and job creation.

But will companies like Form Energy and Pure Watercraft continue to locate in West Virginia if they can’t be assured of timely emergency response for their employees and families? Will they spend millions of dollars on facilities if there is no guarantee of a rapid response by EMS and other first responders when a fire or injury occurs?

Just like roads, water and sewer, a strong emergency response infrastructure is critical to continued economic development success.

Like the investments Gov. Justice and the Legislature have made in tax cuts and infrastructure to attract new business, we’re asking for our elected leader to make good on investing in the first responders who will answer the call when it’s needed for both our state’s current residents and those that will brought here to support newly created jobs.

It is an investment that will pay dividends for West Virginia communities and give West Virginians the peace of mind that someone will be there to help them, no matter their emergency.

Anthony McDaniel is the Paramedic Shift Supervisor for Ohio County EMS, and he is a member of the West Virginia EMS Coalition Board of Directors.