LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Charlotte Kovalchuk charlotte@wilcobr.com
N
early 50 years after launching, Williamson County EMS has continuously embraced new technology and services, but one thing hasn’t changed over the years—the department’s heart for patients. “The system is dramatically different,” says Dr. Jeff Jarvis, medical director for Wilco EMS. “It’s much larger, with a larger population, but we really focus on the practice, we focus on training, and most importantly, we focus on the heart and compassion of medicine.”
FROM THE COUNTY JUDGE With Bill Gravell
and which artery is being affected, saving time and lives by delivering the information to the hospital where patients will receive further treatment.
Back in the 70s, Wilco EMS also did not have many pain treatment options, whereas now, “We’re very aggressive about treating pain and making sure patients are as comfortable as possible,” Jeff says. For patients with breathing problems, the best option used to be a tube in That compassion has been especially im- their lungs. Now, paramedics can help them breathe with portant in the last year. Williamson County masks attached to ventilators. Judge Bill Gravell says, “In the last year, no When the tube is necessary, department has faced greater challenges and adversity. What has been asked of para- “We are careful about how we do that so we’re using the right medics during COVID is unprecedented, combination of medications and their response has been nothing less and techniques to do it as than amazing.” safely as possible. We’re one of the industry leaders in that,” Jeff says.
EVOLUTION OF CARE
Formed in 1975, Wilco EMS consisted of 16 employees and four ambulances, and paramedics treated 700 patients in the calendar year. Back then, workers could only guess if a patient was having a heart attack. Today, Wilco EMS has 151 employees and 22 response vehicles that serve the entire county around the clock, allowing 34,000 patients to receive care each year. More importantly, instead of guessing whether someone is having a heart attack, paramedics can not only identify the condition but also see where it is happening in the heart
26 WILCO BUSINESS REVIEW Preview Edition
EMS CALLS PER DAY
3.9 CALLS WIL
11.7 CALLS
LIAM
SON
COU
NTY
27 CALLS 30.1 CALLS
