Phillip Boyle
At long last, Graham County EMS will officially welcome a new director.
Following the resignation of longtime EMS Director Larry Hembree on Sept. 30, County Clerk Kim Crisp approved the hire of Phillip Boyle as the county’s new EMS director. Boyle is scheduled to begin his new job on Monday.
According to his LinkedIn page, Boyle currently serves as an emergency preparedness coordinator for the S.C. Emergency Management Division and resides in Lexington, S.C. He has also served in other EMS and emergency management positions in South Carolina, as well as in Alaska, California and North Dakota.
“He has many high qualifications and seems extremely motivated, and has great vision that I think would be good for the county,” Marino said.
Marino said the county had interviewed six people for the position, including two local candidates.
He also lauded Hembree’s leadership over his many years as EMS director. He also spoke highly of Brian Jenkins’ performance as interim EMS director.
Hembree had served in various capacities within Graham County EMS since 1995.
“Obviously it’s important for the county – and important for them – to have leadership,” Marino said.
Crisp said the EMS Director position did not require a board decision to make a hire, with Marino making the final decision on Oct. 6. No hire was announced following the closed session of a continued Graham County Board of Commissioners meeting held Oct. 4.
“It was discussed with (the commissioners), but they did not do the hiring,” Crisp said.
Boyle’s hire comes as ambulances are still facing longer wait times at area hospitals due to COVID-19, even as the Delta variant continues to wane. Two additional ambulances crewed by state paramedics and supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been assisting Graham County EMS since the beginning of the month, and may remained stationed in the county until the month’s end.
“We’re extremely excited to see what will come about,” Marino said.