CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County Coroner, Robert Edge, said he needs more people on his staff to keep up with the growing county.
Edge said the level of calls and fatigue of deputy coroners could become a safety issue which is why he’s requesting two more.
“You could be up all night tonight and you’re worn out tomorrow because you haven’t had any sleep,” said Edge. “We’re hoping that council will realize this and look at the safety issues.”
He said right now two people typically work each day and answer an average of five calls but some days it could be eight or nine.
“You think, well, what’s five calls a day? But if it’s a homicide or accident, lots of times we have to look for families out of town,” said Edge. “And just because you get off, your telephone doesn’t stop ringing.”
Right now, he works with four deputy coroners and said they haven’t added anyone in six years.
“Our call level increases about 125-140 calls a year,” Edge explained. “And with this opioid situation, last year we had about 125 people die from overdoses that 15 years ago we didn’t have.”
Edge also said the increase in calls comes from a large amount of young people getting into vehicle accidents as well as an overall aging community. He worries the anticipated growth of Horry County will only make it worse.
“As many people as they are projecting to move in, I don’t know if we can keep up like we’re going right now. It’s just real hard,” Edge admitted.
He explained how often a deputy coroner will be on a call in one part of the county and get called to the opposite end.
“You’re just riding day and night,” he said, which affects the work.”You don’t want to be worn out when you go see a family,” said Edge. “[You want to] give them the attention they need. They’re in a time of tragedy and we need to be on our toes.”
Edge also explained how having multiple calls at one time can hold up other first responders.
“It all ties together,” Edge explained. “Police, fire and EMS respond to calls and then we respond, but if they’re tied up then their people can’t come, such as crime scene. If we’re tied up, we can’t go, and that holds their people up so it’s kind of a domino effect there.”
Edge anticipates the cost for the two new staff members to be about $90,000-$100,000 each, which would include a starting salary of about $47,000 plus a vehicle and benefits.
The county council is currently holding its budget retreat and will continue discussions on Friday.
