About Us
Durham County Emergency Medical Services first became a reality in April 1975
when the Durham County Board of County Commissioners authorized its formation
and granted management privileges to the newly formed Durham County Hospital
Corporation. EMS had been provided by various private ambulance providers under
contract with Durham County Government.
The initial fleet consisted of four Basic Life Support vehicles and crews,
operating from the site of the old Lincoln Community Health Center and from the
old Watts Hospital. Requests for service averaged 750-900 calls per month.
As the Durham Community began to experience a significant growth pattern,
demand for service grew accordingly. By the end of 1976, call response volume had
grown to over 1000 requests per month.
As the demand for service continued to grow statewide, new legislation was enacted
that would allow for the provision of a more advanced level of pre-hospital care.
One of the most significant aspects of the legislation was the creation of the North
Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services, a division of the Department of Human
Resources, which, to this day continues to provide oversight for EMS programs in all
100 North Carolina counties.
By the end of 1976, it became apparent that EMS was fast becoming a third public service.
Durham County Emergency Medical Services began its own Advanced Life Support training
program in late 1976 at the EMT-Intermediate level, and by the end of 1978, had implemented
Durham County's first Paramedic level response system. We began with one Paramedic unit
along with four units that were now operating at the EMT-Intermediate level. This service
provided two tiers of Advanced Life Support.
As Durham County's population continued to grow, the demand for service increased accordingly,
and, in the mid 1980's, we expanded our service to include the volunteer fire departments, the
City of Durham Fire Department, and Duke Rescue Squad, a student-run volunteer campus first
responder service. The volunteer departments currently provide an ambulance, station, and a
driver, and we provide a Paramedic and related equipment for Advanced Life Support responses
in those districts. The City Fire Department provides Advanced Life Support first responder
assistance within the City limits, at the EMT-Intermediate levels, and Duke Rescue provides
first responder assistance on campus at the EMT-D level.
Durham County is now served by a minimum of eleven Advanced Life Support ambulances per day as
well as a number of various support vehicles, a bicycle-response team and an extremely capable
Educational Division that provides an extensive educational program, to the general public, area
business and industry, and all affiliates of the Durham County EMS system. This coordinated
approach to pre-hospital care is a one of a kind in the State, and continues to set the pace for
others who want to provide optimum service at maximum efficiency.
We are considered a state of the art system, certified as a state approved teaching institution
under the State Office of EMS. We provide initial and continuing education for all the Durham
County affiliates.
Comprehensive protocols allow our EMT's, Intermediates and Paramedics to utilize their skills and
knowledge to their fullest. 12 lead EKG interpretations with direct contact with cardiologists for
immediate transport to the cath lab, Capnography via Zoll M and E Series monitors,
Adult/Pediatric EZ IO's, CPAP, Needle cricothyrotomy and a wide variety of other procedures are
routine aspects of our delivery of pre-hospital medicine.
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