Imagine, just for a second, that your spouse has a heart attack or your child falls down the stairs. You need emergency medical care immediately — just a minute or two could be the difference between life and death. Twenty minutes is unacceptable. But that’s how long it takes some Hoover residents to make it to a Birmingham hospital when emergency care is needed.

If the truth be told, Hoover should have had a hospital a long time ago. Hoover has been growing for years and is now one of the largest cities in Alabama with a population of 70,000. However, much smaller cities such as Gadsden (37,000 residents), Anniston (24,000 residents) and Talladega (17,000 residents) have hospitals and have had them for years. Does that make sense to you?

Birmingham may have beds that aren’t being used, but it’s nonsensical to expect Hoover residents to take those beds when it takes them so long to make it to the hospitals in the first place. We support the planning commission’s desire to move quickly on building a hospital in Hoover. It’s ridiculous that the legislature has to approve the hospital — that could take years. By then, who knows how many lives will be affected by those long trips to the hospital?

Citizens of Hoover can speak out on this issue on Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. at the public meeting at Hoover Public Library. This is a decision that will affect the lives of everyone in Hoover, one way or another. If you have something to say, just say it.

“We Say” is the Shelby County Reporter’s weekly staff editorial