First responder crashes cost county taxpayers millions in worker comp claims

March 17--Dozens of wrecks involving Horry County police, fire and other emergency vehicles are costing county taxpayers millions of dollars.

One solution proposed as an incentive to make it stop -- a barbecue dinner for safe drivers.

Horry County councilmen also are discussing whether more training on top of regular training, or perhaps a pay increase from insurance savings, will help improve safety and cut worker compensation and insurance costs.

"We've got to get everybody on the same mindset and the same track -- that you can't help somebody unless you get to the scene," said Councilman Al Allen.

"You can't help that officer unless that backup officer gets to them, you can't help those people inside that house unless the fire engine gets there."

County Councilman Bill Howard said any savings from insurance or cutting worker compensation claims should be shared with workers.

"They want to be paid," Howard said.

The climbing costs of worker comp was revealed to councilmen at the Public Safety Committee earlier this week, and showed that claims totaled nearly $2.6 million from 2014 to 2015 just for the public safety division.

Since July of 2015, nearly 50 motor vehicle accidents were reported from the county police, fire, sheriff and EMS, according to the breakdown provided to councilmen.

"A large percentage is due to training," Horry County risk Manager Linwood Vereen said of the costs.

"And another large percentage is due to vehicle incidents that range from zero dollars to $300,000 per vehicle incident," Vereen said.

Horry County Police Chief Joseph Hill said he'll be asking for funding to redesign patrol cars with back-up cameras and sensors in cruisers in the next budget year that begins in July.

"There are a lot of back-up accidents in law enforcement," Hill said.

Because of the high number of worker compensation claims over a three-year period, insurance premiums are expected to rise nearly $1 million later this year, for a total cost of more than $3.6 million.

"Because we had bad experiences in 2015, they are penalizing us for our prior experience," said Lisa Bourcier, Horry County spokeswoman.

Since 2013, the total amount in worker compensation claims paid from all divisions, including public safety, administration, the airport and infrastructure and regulation, is $5.8 million.

The council and key staffers will hold a three-day budget retreat at the Wampee Conference Center in Pinopolis from March 29 -31, and lowering the insurance rates is expected to be discussed.

"I really think we have to take a look at this because it's eating up an extremely large part of our costs," Allen said. "We're constantly being asked on council that our public safety (employees) needs more pay. Honestly, you can't pay our public safety enough to do the job that needs to be done, we understand that.

"But if we can look at some of these areas ... where we can change the mindset and cut the cost, maybe in the future we can convert some of that loss to some pay for our public safety folks."

Audrey Hudson: 843-444-1765, @AudreyHudson

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