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The Amherst County Sheriff’s Office began a
non-transport Advance Life Support Emergency Medical Services program in
July 1999. The program began with six certified medical vehicles, three
certified as basic life support and three advanced life support. At the time
this program was initiated, it was the first of its kind within the
Commonwealth where a law enforcement agency was licensed to provide medical
care to the citizens within its jurisdiction. In fact, the program and idea
was so new within the state that a variance to the rules and regulations of
the
Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services had to be
completed so that police cars with their standard color schemes could be
utilized as EMS vehicles.
This EMS program was begun as a supplemental program to augment and enhance
care provided by the volunteer rescue squads within the county. In fact,
most of the providers within the Sheriff’s Office program are also
volunteers within their county. The program not only provides emergent care
to the citizens of Amherst County in the first minutes following a serious
accident or illness, but also makes available Advanced Life Support
providers to the rescue squads as needed for transport assistance to the
hospital.
The certified police vehicles carry all standard medical equipment typically
found on an ambulance. These vehicles are inspected by the Office of EMS and
are certified as EMS vehicles within the Commonwealth. Each of the Sheriff’s
office EMS vehicles carries either an AED (automatic external defibrillator)
or a manual monitor/defibrillator (for Cardiac Technicians and Paramedics).
Since the program began, we have grown to nineteen equipped cars and over 22
care providers. The care provided by these members of the Sheriff’s Office
has been credited with saving over ten lives to date. From allergic
reactions to cardiac arrest to stabbings in a fight, these officers have
made a positive impact upon the county they serve by serving their citizens
in a unique capacity. This program has offered such a unique approach to
offering EMS to the community that is the recipient of the 2002 EMS Agency
of the Year for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
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