Fentanyl, EMS big topics during Rep. Duncan's Sweetwater stop

Mar. 23—Rep. Jeff Duncan, of South Carolina's third congressional district, was in Sweetwater March 14 to hear from Edgefield County's first responders what they needed from their representative in Washington.

Duncan's half-hour appearance at Sweetwater Community Center was the first of three stops; the congressman also met with first responders in Saluda and Laurens counties.

About 15 people from the Edgefield County Sheriff's Office, Edgefield County EMS and area fire departments talked with Duncan about the problems they're seeing in the county, notably the costs of EMS and a drug problem that one of the sergeants said is worse than it's ever been in the seven years he's been with the sheriffs.

Duncan attributed much of the heightened drug problem, both locally and nationally, to a federal inability to stanch the flow of drugs coming into the U.S. via foreign cartels and took aim at President Joe Biden's handling of the issue.

"We're doing all we can to stop the flow of illicit drugs into this country, but the administration's not willing to enforce the border and do the things that as American citizens we all know are necessary," he said.

Sgt. Bryce Rutland, with the Edgefield County Sheriffs, said the department is feeling "the impact of the border" and that in the seven years he's been with the sheriffs, last year was the biggest he knew of for violent crime and drugs.

"That's the issue that we're running into," Rutland said. "We've got I Teams, and they're hammering down and they're still getting through. These guys are working all day, trying to intercept what's coming across."

Rutland said the special teams are seizing large quantities of narcotics but that a good portion of them still make it into the local market.

Deputies are also recovering firearms brought into the county by the undocumented. And there's no real follow-up between local law enforcement and ICE, said Rutland. "We've taken them to jail and that's the last we hear of them."

Edgefield County is seeing the same increases in fentanyl (and other drugs laced with fentanyl) that other counties are also seeing. These agencies are relying on the often life-saving Narcan, administering it in emergency situations to keep someone who's overdosed alive.

But "Who's going to pay the cost for Narcan for all these agencies?" asked Duncan. "Is the state going to step up and help these counties provide the emergency equipment that you need? Is it going to be a federal grant program? Should the federal government ship money down to the states to provide this kind of equipment, Narcan primarily, to help officers and firefighters and all the first responders? Those are questions that we're talking about and questions we've been asking."

Proposed legislation, at least at the state level, would if signed into law give local law enforcement in South Carolina a bigger axe to wield in cases of fentanyl trafficking and fentanyl-induced homicide.

The state Senate unanimously approved the bill sponsored by S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, in February. It now resides with the House Judiciary Committee. Should it become law, possession of more than 2 grains of the drug would be a felony.

Law enforcement isn't the only group facing challenges. Edgefield County EMS, like many counties, is facing staffing shortages, and lackluster funding — the result, some say, of continual cuts to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to EMS providers.

"We're a legislative branch. We're making laws, we try to pass laws or cut funding to certain agencies to get their attention and direct funding in certain ways," said Duncan. But with almost $31.5 trillion in national debt, it's a tricky balance and might require more effort by the states, he added.

Emergency Management Services or EMS only became "essential" in South Carolina in 2022 after the General Assembly awarded it this designation. South Carolina is one of just 13 states to have deemed EMS essential, a term the National Conference of State Legislatures says comes with varying definitions but that often has meant establishing minimum requirements, as is the case in South Carolina.

The law enacted last May requires that all South Carolina counties ensure at least one licensed ambulance service is available within its limit. The law does not directly address funding gaps within EMS, but according to Edgefield County EMS, it could open up grant opportunities to palliate the high costs of what they do.

Just before leaving for Saluda, Duncan briefly (and inconclusively) addressed the topic of who he's backing for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. Though he mentioned his relationships with six in the running, he did not come out backing any one of them in particular.

"My relationships with those people mean a lot more than just endorsing one of them. I'll see who comes out in the primary and get behind them fully," he said. "We've got a broad field, a lot of time, a lot of smarts. All of them are worthy and capable of being president of the United States and leading this nation much better than what we're seeing right now."