Jefferson County EMS
Encyclopedia
Jefferson County Emergency Medical Services (JCEMS) was the primary advanced life support
provider for Jefferson County, Kentucky
outside the limits of the City of Louisville
. The merger of Jefferson County Government with the City of Louisville brought about the combining of JCEMS with the EMS bureau of the Louisville Division of Fire
to form Louisville Metro EMS
in early 2005. Therefore as a separate and distinct entity, JCEMS no longer exists.
work for most of the departments history, Emergency medical services
in Jefferson County, as it is known today, began in 1973 with the establishment of the EMS as a defined division of the police
.
Under the direction of Captain
Leo Goss, several police officers were certified as Emergency Medical Technician
s and the tradition of fielding station wagon "stretcher cars" was continued. Stretcher cars did not allow for care to be provided in route to the hospital
but did allow a safer and faster mode of transportation. Later, modular and van-mounted ambulances were staffed as combination patrol/patient transport vehicles. During this time it was not unusual to be issued a traffic citation by an ambulance crew.
Advanced Life Support
was introduced in 1975 when Officer William "Bill" Wetter was licensed along with fifteen City of Louisville
Emergency medical services
personnel as the first emergency Paramedic
s in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Ofc. Wetter continued as the only advanced life support provider for nearly a year before more officers were certified as paramedics and placed into active service. Shortly thereafter the police department began hiring non-law enforcement persons to staff basic life support
ambulances. In instances where the paramedic officer was needed to provide advanced care he could park his cruiser and ride to the hospital in the ambulance to be returned to his vehicle later. In 1978 Non-sworn paramedics were being hired and the police officers' function in front-line care was relegated to administrative duties and on-scene first response.
By the mid 1980s the need for Emergency medical services
by the community out-stripped the ability of the police department to effectively manage it as a subdivision and the decision was made by then County Judge/Executive
Harvey Sloane to remove Emergency medical services
duties from the police department. In 1987 Jefferson County Emergency Medical Services was established as a de jure department of county government
. Michael "Mike" Riordan, one of the first non-sworn paramedics, was named as its first (and only) chief. Riordan served in the capacity as head of department until JCEMS was combined with the EMS bureau of the Louisville Division of Fire
as Louisville Metro EMS
(LMEMS) in 2005. Riordan also served as Director of Operations of LMEMS for a short time thereafter until retiring.
Advanced Life Support
Advanced Life Support is a set of life-saving protocols and skills that extend Basic Life Support to further support the circulation and provide an open airway and adequate ventilation .-Components of ALS:These include:...
provider for Jefferson County, Kentucky
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
outside the limits of the City of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. The merger of Jefferson County Government with the City of Louisville brought about the combining of JCEMS with the EMS bureau of the Louisville Division of Fire
Louisville Division of Fire
The Louisville Division of Fire, commonly known as Louisville Fire Department or Louisville Fire & Rescue , is the sole fire suppression agency for the former city of Louisville, Kentucky and comprises one of 19 fire departments within Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky.The Louisville Fire...
to form Louisville Metro EMS
Louisville Metro EMS
Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services is the primary provider of pre-hospital life support and emergency care within Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky. LMEMS is a governmental department, separate from, but equal to, the police and fire services...
in early 2005. Therefore as a separate and distinct entity, JCEMS no longer exists.
History
For many years the emergency care and transportation of the sick and injured was a duty performed by the Jefferson County Police Department. Though an ancillary function of regular patrolPatrol
A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as police officers or soldiers, that are assigned to monitor a specific geographic area.- Military :...
work for most of the departments history, Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
in Jefferson County, as it is known today, began in 1973 with the establishment of the EMS as a defined division of the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
.
Under the direction of Captain
Police captain
- France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
Leo Goss, several police officers were certified as Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
s and the tradition of fielding station wagon "stretcher cars" was continued. Stretcher cars did not allow for care to be provided in route to the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
but did allow a safer and faster mode of transportation. Later, modular and van-mounted ambulances were staffed as combination patrol/patient transport vehicles. During this time it was not unusual to be issued a traffic citation by an ambulance crew.
Advanced Life Support
Advanced Life Support
Advanced Life Support is a set of life-saving protocols and skills that extend Basic Life Support to further support the circulation and provide an open airway and adequate ventilation .-Components of ALS:These include:...
was introduced in 1975 when Officer William "Bill" Wetter was licensed along with fifteen City of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
personnel as the first emergency Paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
s in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Ofc. Wetter continued as the only advanced life support provider for nearly a year before more officers were certified as paramedics and placed into active service. Shortly thereafter the police department began hiring non-law enforcement persons to staff basic life support
Basic life support
Basic life support is the level of medical care which is used for patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries until the patient can be given full medical care at a hospital. It can be provided by trained medical personnel, including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and by...
ambulances. In instances where the paramedic officer was needed to provide advanced care he could park his cruiser and ride to the hospital in the ambulance to be returned to his vehicle later. In 1978 Non-sworn paramedics were being hired and the police officers' function in front-line care was relegated to administrative duties and on-scene first response.
By the mid 1980s the need for Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
by the community out-stripped the ability of the police department to effectively manage it as a subdivision and the decision was made by then County Judge/Executive
County Judge/Executive
A County Judge/Executive is an elected official in the U.S. state of Kentucky who is the head of the executive branch of a government in a county. The Judge/Executive is an ex officio member of the Fiscal Court, the county's legislature...
Harvey Sloane to remove Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
duties from the police department. In 1987 Jefferson County Emergency Medical Services was established as a de jure department of county government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. Michael "Mike" Riordan, one of the first non-sworn paramedics, was named as its first (and only) chief. Riordan served in the capacity as head of department until JCEMS was combined with the EMS bureau of the Louisville Division of Fire
Louisville Division of Fire
The Louisville Division of Fire, commonly known as Louisville Fire Department or Louisville Fire & Rescue , is the sole fire suppression agency for the former city of Louisville, Kentucky and comprises one of 19 fire departments within Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky.The Louisville Fire...
as Louisville Metro EMS
Louisville Metro EMS
Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services is the primary provider of pre-hospital life support and emergency care within Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky. LMEMS is a governmental department, separate from, but equal to, the police and fire services...
(LMEMS) in 2005. Riordan also served as Director of Operations of LMEMS for a short time thereafter until retiring.