Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division

The Division of Emergency Medical Services ensures that residents of and visitors to Montgomery County have prompt and unimpeded access to basic and advanced life support medical care.

In addition, the Division ensures that all EMS personnel, agencies, and ambulances are adequately equipped and prepared to provide the best out-of-hospital emergency care possible.
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Regional Emergency Medical Services Office

The Pennsylvania Department of Health - Bureau of Emergency Medical Services has established 13 Regional EMS Offices in the Commonwealth. Eight of these Regional Offices cover multiple counties, while the five counties in southeastern Pennsylvania (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia) each have their own office.

Responsibilities of the Montgomery County Regional EMS Office, fulfilled by the Department of Public Safety - Division of Emergency Medical Services, are detailed below:

Training and Certification

The Division provides training and administers certification examinations for Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, and other emergency responders and coordinates state licensure for all ambulance services in Montgomery County. To find an EMS certification course anywhere in Pennsylvania, click here.

Contact: Maryann Longo, Regional Training Coordinator, maryann.longo@montgomerycountypa.gov

Accredited Paramedic Training Institute

The Montgomery County EMS Training Institute Paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) through the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Program Mission: To prepare competent entry-level Emergency Medical Technicians and Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedics in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 US Highway 19 N., Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org

CAAHEP

Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions
8301 Lakeview Parkway Suite 111-312
Rowlett, Texas 75088
Office: (214) 703-8445
Fax: (214) 703-8992
www.coaemsp.org

Licensure

The Division coordinates state licensure for Quick Response Services (QRS), Basic Life Support (BLS), Intermediate Advanced Life Support (IALS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), and Air (Helicopter) ambulance services in Montgomery County. The Division conducts inspections to ensure that ambulances carry the necessary equipment, that personnel are properly trained and certified, and that the agency has appropriate policies and procedures in place.

Contact: Tim Dunigan, Pre-Hospital Systems Coordinator, tim.dunigan@montgomerycountypa.gov

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

The Division facilitates a Continuous Quality Improvement Program (CQI) in collaboration with the EMS agencies of Montgomery County. CQI’s mission is to ensure that the residents of and visitors to Montgomery County receive the highest level of pre-hospital care. We conduct quality improvement audits of the regional EMS system, which includes reviewing the quality improvement activities conducted by the EMS agencies and medical command facilities within the region. 

The CQI committee collaborates with the regional medical advisory committee and makes recommendations to the regional EMS council on ways to improve the delivery of EMS within the region, based upon state and regional goals. In addition, the CQI committee developed and implemented a regional EMS CQI improvement plan to assess the EMS system in the region. 

Contact: Ed Martin, Jr., EMS Field Specialist, ed.martin@montgomerycountypa.gov

Complaint Investigation

The Division receives and processes complaints against EMS agencies or personnel from patients or other witnesses. Initially, complaints are taken verbally to evaluate the validity and to determine if the infraction violates the state EMS protocols and/or Act 37. If a violation is discovered, our office facilities a state investigation in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Health - Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. 

Contact: Ed Martin, Jr., EMS Field Specialist, ed.martin@montgomerycountypa.gov

Naloxone Program

Naloxone nasal spray is provided under a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). As the designated Central Coordinating Entity (CCE) for Naloxone in Montgomery County, the Department of Public Safety provides training for public safety and civilian emergency responders and equips them with the lifesaving antidote. To request Naloxone, click here.

Reports

Contact: dpsintel@montgomerycountypa.gov