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South Central Ambulance Service Continues to Grow

Beginning in 1972, South Central Regional Medical Center put into operation one 24-hour ambulance operating in Laurel and Jones County. The ambulance functioned primarily as a rapid transportation service to the hospital when an emergency occurred. Over time, the ambulance service grew and the highly trained team of nurses, paramedics, and technicians developed into the South Central Emergency Medical Services District, which was later renamed EMServ.

Serving the Community’s Needs

As the needs of the community increased, the hospital’s emergency transportation services division grew. Today, more than 66 employees work for EMServ, and the service has a fleet of 14 emergency rescue and transportation vehicles. Steve Earnest, Director of Public Safety at South Central Regional Medical Center, says, “I am proud of the growth of our emergency transportation division. South Central has added the personnel and technology to meet the needs of our community.”

Advanced Lifesaving Techniques

Technology has made it possible to expand the capabilities of the equipment on ambulances. Through increased educational opportunities, the health care professionals with EMServ are able to provide more advanced lifesaving techniques and procedures. Most recently, EMServ added the LIFEPAK 12, a defibrillator/ monitor system that provides a variety of functions in a single, small device. With the new Lifepak 12, a 12 lead ekg can be obtained and transmitted to South Central’s Emergency Department from the scene or while in route to the medical center. South Central Regional Medical Center was the first hospital in Mississippi to provide this service.

EMServ also has added Powerpro stretchers. These are stretchers capable of lifting up to 750 pounds and used most often in moving bariatric patients. StairChairs, a new technology that provides chairs on tracks, helps transport patients down stairs safely.

Making the Community Safe

Earnest says that many individuals play a role in meeting the emergency needs of the community. He recognized the efforts of the South Central Emergency Department physicians and personnel, the staff in the South Central Emergency Communications Center, the employees at the 911 Dispatch Center, and the many individuals who work for community agencies such as the police, fire, and the sheriff’s departments. “We all have a common goal,” Earnest says, “to make our community a safer place to live.”

In 2006 alone, EMServ personnel made more than 16,000 runs—12,407 ambulance runs, 7,209 emergency runs, and 4,095 wheelchair transports.

Carla Coleman, EMServ Operations Manager, says, “In the emergency services field, the ultimate experience is when a former patient walks up to you out in the community and says, ‘Thank you for helping save my life.’ There is such a sense of accomplishment in knowing that you helped somebody.”

Continuing Education

The staff of EMServ continues to move forward into areas of education, providing programs in training and certification for:

• physicians
• nurses
• paramedics
• EMTs
• first responders
• civic organizations
• industrial workers
• municipal groups
• schools
• church groups.

EMServ is a clinical training site for paramedics and emergency medical technicians from several colleges and universities. They also train local volunteer fire and rescue departments in basic emergency response techniques. In each new endeavor, EMServ represents the excellence in emergency response the community has grown to expect. “We are proud to serve the residents of this region,” Coleman says. “We also are proud to be part of the South Central family, which continues to strive for excellence each and every day.”

EMServ represents the excellence in emergency response. “We are proud to serve the residents of this region,” Coleman says.