1 December 2012
Hopefully you will never need to call 911, but if you do, it should be comforting to know that the person you will be talking to is a trained professional who handles many different types of emergencies every day.
The person you will talk to at Lake EMS is a certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) who is uniquely trained to provide clinical expertise for pre-hospital emergencies. This person is considered the first “first responder” and will provide specific instructions on how to care for the patient until the ambulance arrives. The EMD will systematically guide you through the process with unique questions and directions based upon the specific illness or injury.
The first few questions the EMD will ask include the address of the emergency, telephone number, and type of emergency. As soon as the EMD receives these three pieces of pertinent information, emergency units will be simultaneously dispatched to the scene of the emergency while the EMD remains on the telephone to obtain further information about the patient’s condition.
The following is an excerpt of a typical 911 call for a choking victim:
“What is the address of the emergency?”
“What is the phone number you are calling from?”
“Okay, tell me exactly what happened.”
“How old is he?”
“Is he awake?”
“Is he completely alert?”
“Is he breathing normally?”
“Is he able to talk?”
“What did he choke on?”
“Stay on the line and I will tell you what to do next…”
Based on the answers received, the EMD will provide specific, step-by-step, potentially life-saving instructions. Remember, the ambulance is not being delayed during these additional questions and instructions.
Understanding the 911 process and being prepared will help Lake EMS provide you with the most effective and timely assistance during an emergency.
15 November 2012
Click on photo to play video clip of Dr. Paul Banerjee at EMS World Expo 2012
Dr. Paul Banerjee, DO, Medical Director of Lake EMS is one of the physicians testing the frontiers of cardiac arrest resuscitation. Dr. Banerjee shared some of his insights with EMS Garage host Chris Montera in New Orleans, Louisiana at EMS World Expo 2012 – outside of the Physio-Control Podcast Studio Booth where the ProMed Network Podcasters produced their programs during the event.
18 October 2012
The Lake Emergency Medical Services Communications Center has earned Accreditation as an Emergency Fire Dispatch Center of Excellence. Lake EMS is only the 23rd Emergency Fire Dispatch center to be awarded this highest distinction by the National/International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.
The accreditation required a year-long effort of all Communications Center staff with the resulting designation benefitting the entire County. In addition to requiring proper system oversight, fire administration control and quality improvement programs, Accreditation demands careful Fire Priority Dispatch System (FPDS) compliance and certification of all emergency call-takers and fire dispatchers.
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26 September 2012
With the resignation of Lake EMS’ Executive Director, Jim Judge, the Lake EMS Board of Directors announced yesterday that Jerry Smith, Lake County’s Emergency Management Division Manager, would begin serving immediately as Executive Director in an interim capacity. Smith will be responsible for the day-to-day oversight of Lake EMS, including administration, communications, financial management and operations. “This was a good fit for the organization, because Jerry has both the management skills and experience working at EMS,” said Commissioner Welton Cadwell, Chairman of the Lake EMS Board of Directors. “I’m confident that he can oversee the organization during this leadership transition.”
Smith received his Bachelor’s in Organizational Management from Warner Southern College, and in addition to his new role, he currently serves in the United States Air Force Reserve – 920th Reserve Wing. He also recently served as President of the Florida Emergency Preparedness Association.
[News Release]
25 September 2012
James A. Judge, II
James A. Judge, II (EMT-P, CEM, BPA) resigned today as executive director of Lake EMS, Inc. in Mount Dora, Florida where he was responsible for the administration, financial management, and operations of our high-performance emergency medical service. Mr. Judge’s 38-year career in EMS, fire services and emergency management has garnered numerous state and national awards for administrative and operational excellence in public safety, including induction into the Florida EMS Hall of Fame for a lifetime of achievements in EMS. Under his direction, Lake EMS received the national Jeffery Harris Paid EMS Service of the Year Award for excellence in EMS system design and patient care and for fostering a positive and safe work environment for EMS providers.
Thank you, Mr. Judge, for your many years of leadership and service to the citizens of Lake County, Florida!
