Mecklenburg County's emergency medical system ranks among the nation's best, but its response-time benchmarks haven't been updated since the 1990s.
The growing county needs more ambulances, according to an independent study released Wednesday, Aug. 5.
The assessment, commissioned in 2025 by Mecklenburg County and the Mecklenburg EMS Agency (Medic), found exceptional clinical outcomes and performance that compares favorably with peer communities nationwide. But it also calls for modernized performance measures, additional ambulances and staff, and better coordination between Medic and local fire departments.
That fire-department recommendation lands directly in Lake Norman. Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville fire departments serve as first responders alongside Medic, and the study recommends realigning fire department response strategies, deployment plans and funding structures to meet performance standards.
$11.2 million already committed
The county has already begun investing. Over the past two budget cycles, Mecklenburg County funded 15 additional ambulances and 50 new EMT positions. For FY2026-27, county commissioners approved $11.2 million for Medic, including $8.5 million for one-time capital, technology and the Paramedic Pathways recruitment program.
An additional $2.3 million is earmarked for a $25.53-per-hour minimum wage for Medic staff, though that allocation is pending a briefing and recommendation from County Manager Mike Bryant.
"We are committed to improving the system for all residents," Bryant said in the county's Aug. 5 announcement. "The County has grown much in the past 30 years, and we want to make sure our first responders can effectively and sustainably meet that growth."
Cornelius already watching closely
The study's release fulfills a condition Cornelius built into its relationship with Medic. At the town's June 15 board meeting, Town Manager Grant told commissioners the prior 12-month memorandum of understanding with Medic was specifically structured to allow the third-party study to be completed.
The Cornelius Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 on Monday, June 15, to approve a new MOU running July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. That agreement includes a 60-day cancellation clause if adequate progress isn't achieved on two goals: increased county funding for Medic to meet priority response times countywide, and either reimbursement to fire departments for low-acuity calls or sufficient county funding for Medic to handle those calls itself.
Scale of demand
The volume Medic handles is substantial. In July 2026, there were 22,859 incidents across Mecklenburg County, with Medic responding 16,921 times, according to a post on the agency's Facebook page.
The full study is available at Medic911.com. The next Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1, and Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 5 p.m.
