Beginning:
The EMS field as a whole is a very young service that really evolved after the Viet Nam War. EMS in Kentucky evolved in the early seventies, and has continually grown and improved. The Jessamine County EMS celebrated its twenty years of operation on July 1, 2006. The Jessamine County EMS officially started under the operation and management of the Jessamine Fiscal Court on July 1, 1986 at 12:01 AM. There were 21 employees hired to staff two ambulances on a 24 hours, seven days and 365 days basis. Initially the run volume was approximately 3000 and today we treat on the average 8000 patients per year.
In 1987 the service began to perform its own dispatching, and this evolved into the centralized 9-1-1 dispatching center that is now in operation. In 2004, the communications center and the EMS were separated due to the growth so that each unit could better focus on their respective missions. The communications center and EMS are now separate departments within the County Government, and are stronger as ever.
Present:
Presently, we have 24 personnel, striving to operate four ambulances per day to provide basic life support, and advanced life support activities. We also employ 15 part-time personnel to fill in time of busy periods and peak hours. In 1992, the Jessamine Fiscal Court decided to upgrade to an advanced life support service. Advanced life support officially started in February 1994, and the program has been a success. In 2000 there were a lot of improvements and changes ranging from mutual aid agreements with fire departments to better serve our citizens to additional ambulances and stations put in service.
Future:
The Jessamine County EMS is constantly working to improve our service to our citizens, whether by participating in additional training or community projects. Our philosophy is teamwork, community involvement and quality service. Quality should prevail and in all of our endeavors. We are a part of this community and we want to be a part of this community. We are one of the premier services in the Central Kentucky area and we are active at the state level. We owe our success to the many partnerships we have attained over the last 22 years.
We have a very good service that is built on quality, teamwork and involvement. We attempt to build bridges on a daily basis whether the bridge is to an individual or a group on the local level or state level. We are proud of our accomplishments and we hope you are as well.
Chronological Historical Events
November 2007 EMT-Advanced Project approved by KY Board of EMS
September 2007 Opening of a new West District Station
August 2007 First ever JCEMS FEMA Grant Award
August 2006 First KY EMT training program in high school
July 2006 20 years of operation celebration
Aug 2004 Enhanced 911 and separation of EMS
May 2004 1st annual Women’s Healthcare Day
January 2003 Mapping and addressing of entire County
July 2002 Implementation of Community AED program
June 2001 Implementation of part-time personnel
July 2000 Fire Dept First Responder Mutual Aid Agreements
February 2000 Chief Hatfield appointed as Director
September 1998 North Station opened
May 1998 South Station opened
July 1997 Public Safety Center opened and county-wide communications
February 1994 ALS program started
October 1993 First JCEMS paramedic graduation
October 1992 First JCEMS paramedic training
July 1992 Jessamine EMS merged with new Central Communications
February 1991 First Lieutenants promotions
June 1988 1st Place BLS State Competition
January 1988 Wilmore Station construction
July 1987 24 Hour shifts deployed
June 1987 First Captain promotions
January 1987 Ambulance Service Dispatch started
July 1, 1986 JC Ambulance Service started at 12:01 AM