Cordell Officials To Explore Future EMS Options With County, Decides Not To Rehire Fired Director 

A Washita County community is looking to possibly shutdown it's local EMS service after city officials said it's losing money in operation. 

Many residents in Cordell do not approve of the plan especially after the recent firing of its EMS Director and Assistant Fire Chief. 

According to a local finance experts, Cordell has lost around $627,000 over 5 years in their EMS services. 

Councilmember Steve McLaughlin made the motion minutes after the presentation. 

“I honestly think the city is crunching a little bit of numbers to make themselves feel a little bit better about what is going on,” said Austin Oenoe. “I think it’s a little ridiculous that they are not going to the community to see what the community wants to do.” 

Fired EMS Director Devin Humphrey said he's stayed under the city's budget. 

Mayor Jerry Beech disagrees. 

“Their information is not the financials,” said Beech. “Whenever I asked them afterwards where did you get this information from, well its coming from some places they can't get to. They have to have the whole financial.” 

As officials decide what's next residents hope it means keeping EMS local.  

“We're the citizens. We live here. We should be able to choose and we don't get one bit of input,” said Aabra Bacon.  

City Council voted Thursday not to rehire it's former EMS Director Devin Humphrey.  

Humphrey said he was fired in retaliation for speaking up about the EMS plan.  

The mayor refused to comment on personnel matters.