Greenwood County Ambulance Service Mission Statement

Greenwood County Ambulance Service is committed to being a leader in emergency medical services and to providing our community with excellent pre-hospital and out of hospital care by

• Valuing our staff, patients and clients.

• Maintaining and promoting the highest standards of our profession.

• Supporting illness and accident prevention.

• Managing our resources effectively.

• Working collaboratively with our peers in health care and emergency services.

 

Vision
Greenwood County Ambulance Service strives to meet the changing needs of the community for pre-hospital and out of hospital care and believes that by the timely application of the advances of both the art and science of medicine to the practice of emergency medical services, we can decrease suffering, improve the health of the community and save lives.

History
Greenwood County EMS was formed through a joint City and County effort, and began operation on July 1, 1975 at the Greenwood City Fire Department. The service began operation with one EMT-Paramedic and seven EMT-Basics. On Oct. 1, 1981, the County assumed total control of the EMS operations, placing ambulances in three critical locations. An ambulance was placed in Ware Shoals, Ninety Six, and at the County Courthouse in Greenwood.

Today we have seven ambulances and two Quick Response Vehicles(QRV). One ambulance stationed on Hwy. 25 North between Hodges and Ware Shoals (M-5), one stationed in Ninety Six on Hwy. 246 (M-4), two stationed on Hwy. 25 South (M-1 and M-3), one stationed on Hwy. 72 West (M-2). The QRV's are stationed at the courthouse (R-1 and R-2). Promised Land currently houses our transport team (T-1). We cover an area of 462.95 square miles, with a population in excess of 67,503 people. (2003 census)

Our typical call volume for one month is approximately 800 calls, with an average response time of less than ten minutes. For information about the service or if you are interested in being apart of the Emergency Medical Service, please call (864) 942-8603.

In Case Of Emergency
If you have a cell phone, make an entry in your contacts list labeled "ICE" (In Case of Emergency). Under the "ICE" listing provide a contact number of someone that you want notified in case of an emergency. Keep in mind that you should discuss this with them prior to entering this information into your phone so they understand that they may receive such a call. Make sure that the person that you list as your "ICE" has your medical information.

In the event you have an emergency; when you are unable speak due to your injuries or sickness and you have on your cell phone, maybe paramedics, police or fire department personnel may be able to retrieve the ICE (contact) number and get more information about you or will be able to notify someone during your time of need.

You may consider more than one "ICE" number to store in your phone and list them as "ICE 1" and "ICE 2". If you have space to enter the contact's name in a notes or more information section, this will allow the responder to know who they are calling.

Pass along the word. This could be a call that could save your life, a way of gathering vital information or to provide a way for emergency workers to notify someone in your time of need.