Pre-Hospital Services

Emergency Paramedic Response

Formed in 1986 Evangelical's Paramedic Department has gone through many changes over the years, including the most recent change to its name: Pre-Hospital Services.

The term Pre-Hospital Services refers to any emergency medical care a patient receives prior to their arrival at the hospital or emergency department. Typically, this care comes from Emergency Medical Services providers, such as paramedics, EMT's, police, ambulance and fire crews.

In 1986, Evangelical provided the sole medic unit in the area with five employees and one vehicle. Now Evangelical employs 74 people in the unit and answers more than 7,000 calls per year. The Pre-Hospital Services Department also helps community ambulance companies with staffing. With volunteerism declining, several local ambulance companies found it difficult to maintain 24-hour coverage, which could prolong response time to emergencies.

Evangelical's Emergency Advanced Life Support Services take the Evangelical Emergency Room directly to the scene of an accident. These paramedic teams take equipment and life-saving drugs to the patient's side and begin vital medical treatment before the victim is transported to the Hospital.

With these units, Evangelical can get certified health professionals to the patient's side, providing treatment faster than ever before.

Ready to Respond

Whenever a medical situation requires advanced services, our highly trained paramedics meet ambulance crews at the scene and begin vital treatment. Certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Health at the paramedic level, these service personnel have training and experience in trauma and burn treatment, obstetrics, pediatrics, advanced cardiac life support and vehicle extrication techniques. They are experts in the procedures of emergency situations. With this skill and knowledge, the paramedics also bring sophisticated equipment and medications to the scene. In the past, these supplies were not available until the patient reached the Hospital.

Essential monitoring procedures, such as heart monitoring in cases of suspected heart attack victims, begin on the spot and information is communicated instantly to the emergency physician at Evangelical. With constant radio contact, a variety of staff specialists can participate and provide immediate feedback for treatment long before the patient reaches the emergency room door.

By the time the victim arrives at the Hospital, the paramedic team has already administered life-sustaining treatments. Since the emergency room staff already knows the victim's condition, they can quickly take action.

Where we Serve

Evangelical's Advanced Life Support teams are dispatched anywhere in Union, Snyder and upper Northumberland counties, using protocols approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. If you live in this service area, you can call a medic team by dialing 911. The operator will ask you to explain your health emergency and then will dispatch an ambulance team and a medic unit.

Extending our Services

In 1997, Evangelical began to help community ambulance companies with staffing. Several communities were experiencing difficulty with volunteer staffing, which prolonged response to emergencies. To help resolve this issue, Evangelical provides staff for the West Branch Ambulance Company in Watsontown 24-hours a day, 7 days a week; the Mifflinburg Ambulance Company 24-hours a day, 7 days a week; the White Deer Township Ambulance 8-hours a day, 7 days a week; Milton Ambulance Company 24-hours a day, 7 days a week; and the Penns Valley EMS 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

To learn more about the essential emergency services provided by Evangelical's Advanced Life Support Services, send e-mail or call (570) 522-2660.

Training to enter the EMS Field

EMTs have more than 140 hours of training, provided through the Susquehanna Emergency Health Services (EHS) Council. This training is usually two nights a week for a six month period.

Topics include: oxygen administration, medical emergencies trauma, obstetrics and legal issues. By the end of the training, individuals are proficient in skills such as splinting of fractures, control of severe bleeding, childbirth, patient assessment, vehicle extrication and emergency vehicle operation.

Paramedic Training

To become a paramedic, you must complete the course curriculum established by the PA Department of Health. In our area, the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Luzerne Community College and the Harrisburg Area Community College are certified to teach paramedics. Emphasis of training is on anatomy/physiology, pharmacology, cardiology, respiratory, medical emergencies, obstetrics and trauma. In order to graduate, individuals much be proficient with IV initiation, medication administration, advanced airway maneuvers, cardiac rhythm interpretations and other specialized procedures.

For more information on EMT or Paramedic training, visit the Susquehanna Emergency Health Services Web site at www.sehsc.org.