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Celebrating 35 Years
Commitment....Compassion....Service
"Leading The Way In Rural Pre-Hospital Care"
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MCDEMS Awarded $326,161 to
Implement Rural Community Care Paramedic Program
Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust announced the awardment of $326,161 to McDowell County EMS to implement a Rural Community Care Paramedic Program. The program will focus on serving low income high users of emergency medical and emergency department services. Rural Community Care Paramedic (RCCP) will work with multiple partners to increase access to care, provide intense, precise case management, prevention education, and wrap around services to abate conditions leading to inappropriate utilization of limited health resources. Trust funds will support high capacity building, trained paramedic staff and the purchase of specialized equipment. For more information on Kate B Reynolds Charitable Trust or Healthy Places click here.
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2013 Kids Safety Camp
Register Now
June 18 - 19 - 20
8am-12pm
McDowell EMS is pleased to announce the 4th annual Kids Safety Camp will be held June 18-20 at East McDowell Juniror High. Over the course of three days each student will be taught CPR, first aid, pet safety, ATV safety, boating safety, water safety, gun safety, fire safety and many more safety sessions. Day three is always filled with lots of fun with Safety Camp staff competing with the kids in a number of water games. Lots of learning activities coupled with lots of fun makes this camp a hit each year. Register now as camp is limited to 200 students.
Registration Click Here
Camp Info Click Here
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2013 Paramedic of the Year
Sgt. Adrienne Jones has been selected as the 2013 Paramedic of the Year for McDowell County EMS. Each year staff members vote to select a peer for this award. Sgt. Jones currently serves as a full time officer on C Shift. EMS Director William Kehler states "Sgt. Jones does an exceptional job each day, ensuring that the motto of McDowell EMS is carried forward. Her compassion and quality patient care serves the citizens of McDowell County very well." Sgt Jones is a critical care paramedic and a volunteer with Marion Fire Dept.
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A Message From the Director of EMS
I would like to personally thank you for taking the time to visit our website. McDowell County EMS has a long tradition of being known as one of the premier EMS agencies in North Carolina. Our agency is staffed by 62 medical professionals who constantly strive to provide quality and professional medical care to all of our patients. Standards in emergency medicine are constantly changing. Our staff is dedicated to remaining on the cutting edge of emergency medicine through research of equipment, medical procedures, and working with our Medical Director Dr. Edward St. Bernard to implement new standards within our system. Please take time to look over our website in which you will find information on our entire operation as well as medical / disaster information that will help you in times of emergencies. On behalf of the staff of McDowell County EMS, I welcome you to the site.------- William J. Kehler IV
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EMS Medical Director
Dr. Edward St.Bernard
Dr. Edward St. Bernard is the medical director for McDowell County EMS. He joined the agency in 2002. He completed his undergrad at the University of West Indies Trinidad and attended medical school at St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada. Dr. St. Bernard completed his residency and fellowship at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. He joined the McDowell Hospital Medical Staff in 1994 and has served in multiple positions including chief of staff and medical director for McDowell Hospice. He is board certified in internal medicine and pulmonay diseases. He currently practices at McDowell Internal Medicine and is an ER Physician at McDowell Hospital. Prior to becoming a physician he worked as a high school teacher for 10 years in Grenada. He has published multiple papers and worked deligently as a volunteer within the community. Dr. St. Bernard was truly instrumental with developing McDowell's therapeutic hypothermia protocol which was implemented in 2008 which made McDowell EMS 1 of 100 agencies in the nation to deliver this procedure in Oct of 2008.
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HISTORY
McDowell County Emergency Medical Service began its operation on July 1, 1977. EMS began its operation with a total of 16 employees with 5 employees working each shift. In the early days of the organization the crew quarters were located in County Administration Building. In 1978 EMS moved into a new station located on South Garden Street which still serves as the main station for EMS. In 1989 a second station was added in the Old Fort community. This station was located within the Rocket Building at Old Fort. In 2002 McDowell County Board of Commissioners approved the construction of a new Old Fort EMS Station on US 70 West in Old Fort. In October of 2010 EMS Station 3 located in the Nebo community was built through a joint project with the Nebo Volunteer Fire Department.
Today McDowell County EMS paramedics remain on the cutting edge of Emergency Medicine with access to state of the art medical equipment, medical protocols that meet national standards in emergency medicine, and training programs that provide excellent opportunities for professional development. McDowell EMS is committed to being an active player within the community promoting injury prevention programs and public awareness on a variety of health related topics.
Today… just as it did 35 years ago McDowell County EMS and its 62 professional employees take great pride in providing Emergency Medical Care to the citizens of McDowell County. We look forward to continue serving the citizens of this county and improving the level of service we provide.
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AGENCY STRUCTURE
McDowell County Emergency Medical Services is responsible for providing emergency medical care to all citizens and visitors of McDowell County. McDowell County EMS covers 437 square miles with elevation ranges from 900ft to 4700 ft. Over 68,000 acres of land within McDowell County is National Forest. Currently our agency operates out of three stations. Our main station is located at 41 South Garden Street in Marion. Station 2 is located on US 70 West in Old Fort. Station 3 is located at 199 NC 126 in the Nebo community. McDowell EMS operates three ambulances and one quick response vehicle 24 hours a day. During prime time hours 4 ambulances and 1 QRV are in operation. Within the system three quick response vehicles are operated by the Director, Operations Officer and EMS Captain. The McDowell County Rescue Squad serves as the backup provider for McDowell County EMS.
McDowell County EMS
60 East Court Street
Marion, NC 28752
828-652-3241 (Business)
828-652-0100 (Fax)
EMS Billing Questions
828-652-7121
Please note that the EMS Billing Office is located
on the first floor of the McDowell County Administration
Building. Address: 60 East Court Street, Marion
Sunset @ Lake James
Black Bear Cove
McDowell EMS responds to incidents on Lake James and staffs the lake with a parmedic on holiday weekends. McDowell EMS partners with MCSO with the lake medic riding on the sheriff boat or with the NC Wildlife.
Public Announcements
*Learn CPR Today*
www.handsonlycpr.org
New for EMS Staff
2013 Approved Protocols
Now Posted
"Big 6 On-Duty Stretches"
Upcoming Events
EMS Expo
May 17th
EMS Week Staff Breakfast
May 22 @ TMH 8am
Safety Camp
June 18-20
Website Last Updated 5/13/2013
Station 1 Current Conditions
Station 2
Station 3