Have you ever called 911?  Have you ever been transported in an ambulance?  Each year millions of people need emergency medical care while at work, in their homes, or in places outside of a hospital.  That’s when Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, is there for you. – any time, any day, anywhere that you need us.  The public often wonders about EMS because ambulances and the people who work on them vary so much from community to community.  Here are some frequently asked questions and answers that may interest you.

  1. Why does a fire truck come when I call an ambulance?  Some communities send a fire engine to life-threatening emergencies just to be sure that the public gets the fastest and most effective response possible.  At present, South Oldham Fire & Rescue, Pewee Valley Fire, North Oldham Fire and Westport Fire Departments will send an engine company or first responder to the scene.  Having both fire and EMS crews on the scene ensures that there are enough trained medical personnel to handle any emergency.
  1. How does EMS differ from the fire department? Some firefighters and medics provide EMS in their role as employees or volunteers of a fire department.  Medics and firefighters also work on ambulances operated by private companies, counties, and other government agencies (sometimes called “third service” agencies), volunteer EMS and rescue squads, and the military.  Which medical personnel arrive a your door when you call for help depends on how your community and local government provides for EMS in your area.
  1. What is the difference between an EMT and a paramedic?  EMT stands for Emergency Medical Technician.  EMTs have about 110 hours of training in basic life support.  EMTs may perform CPR, artificial ventilation, oxygen administration, basic airway management, defibrillation using an AED, spinal immobilization, vital signs, and bandaging/splinting.  Paramedics have 1,000 or more hours of training in advanced life support and may perform all basic emergency medical skills as well as advance airway management (such as endotracheal intubation).  They may obtain electrocardiographs (ECGs or EKGs), start intravenous lines, administer numerous types of medications and perform other advanced procedures.
  1. Will the ambulance transport me where I want to go?  Ambulance transport is regulated by state and local laws as well as by an EMS physician Medical Director, who oversees ambulance operations in your community.  Transport decisions also may be influenced by health insurance plans that dictate destination hospitals.  Unless local protocols indicate otherwise, ambulance crews may transport patients to the hospital of their choice; however, your insurance company may not cover the transport to some locations.  The ultimate decision is made by the EMS crew based on the level of care at the receiving hospital, weather and protocols.
  1. How much will it cost?  As with any public service, there is a cost associated with ambulance transport.  Some of these costs may be paid for by taxes or property assessments.  The cost of ambulance transport (paying paramedics and EMTs, gas for the vehicle, insurance, etc.) may also be covered by a patient’s health insurance plan.  Sometimes, ambulance companies also bill patients.    Patients are also billed for the balance not paid by their insurance plan as required by law.
  1. Can ambulances break traffic laws?  Ambulances in most communities are not granted unrestricted right of way.  In most cases, emergency vehicles must obey all signs and signals.  For example, they must stop at a red light or a stop sign before proceeding through the intersection.  Sometimes, emergency vehicles operate contrary to traffic control devices when responding to an emergency.  Sometimes they exceed posted speed limits.  However, even during these times, emergency vehicles operators must drive with due regard for public safety.
  1. What should I do when I see and emergency vehicle approaching with lights and siren?  When a vehicle is operating Code 3 (lights and siren), that vehicle is requesting the right-of-way.  You should pull to the right side of the road and come to a complete stop, even if the emergency vehicle is coming towards you.  After the emergency vehicle has passed, look behind you before resuming travel.  Often, there will be one or more emergency units behind the first one.  If you stop before the crest of a hill or in a curve of the road, remember, the approaching emergency vehicle’s forward vision is less that what you see.
  1. Does EMS provide other services besides emergency care?  Oldham County EMS provides non-emergent transport services from hospital to hospital, hospital to skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, etc.) and hospital to a private residence on a pre-scheduled basis.  Other services include Child Safety Seat Inspections, CPR, AED, First Aid classes, visits to educational facilities (i.e. daycare centers, elementary and high schools) for informational and educational purposes, and providing dedicated coverage for public and sports events such as high school football games, senior games and Oldham County Days.  For more information, contact Oldham County EMS at (502) 222-7250.
  1. How long does it take to get an ambulance to my home?  When you call 911 for an ambulance, the dispatch center (Oldham County Dispatch) will ask you the nature of the emergency and then dispatches the ambulance and paramedic within 1-2 minutes.  Oldham County EMS will respond in less than 2 minutes usually from Buckner.   Our goal is to have a response time of less than 8 minutes to every address.   Obviously, there are parts of our county that are difficult to reach in that time.  We are working towards that goal by positioning ambulances in remote parts of the county.  Monday through Friday from 6 am until 6 pm, there is an ambulance in the Crestwood/Pewee Valley area.  North Oldham Fire Depart- ment staffs an ambulance 24 hours/day with paid firefighter/EMTs and volunteers.  Other areas such as Westport, Pewee Valley and South Oldham also rely on First Responders to aid in patient care until an ambulance can get there.