MISSION

 

Hamilton County EMS will provide the highest level of pre-hospital basic and advanced life support with total regard for the best possible customer service.  The fundamental and unique mission of Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services is to develop and continually improve an emergency medical care system, while assuring high quality patient care and appropriate response in emergency situations. At the same time, we will facilitate the education, training, and understanding of injury and illness prevention as well as our role in the response, treatment, and transportation of the sick and injured.

 

The professionals of this agency will strive to meet the ever-changing nature of healthcare, emergency services, and public safety through continuous training, incorporation of new technologies, and interagency cooperation.

 

We will do this in a fiscally responsible manner and with the professionalism expected from those we serve in the way that exemplifies:  

                  

"Setting the Standard of Care".

HISTORY

 

HCEMS was established in 1988. This  Advance Life Support service covers 576 square miles and over 360,000 citizens. The fleet consist of 16 ambulance stations and responding to an annual of 40,000 emergency calls a year. This agency is designed around a fire department style rank structure and divided into four teams, each responsible for a rotational 24-hour on, 72-hour off schedule.  

MEDICAL DIRECTION

 

Medical Direction for the

Service is provided, on a

contractual basis, by Dr.

Ron Buchheit, M.D.

He is responsible for the

daily provision of service

by each of the pre-hospital

personnel, as well as the

oversight of all medical

care provided through the

First Response programs.

 

Ron Buchheit, MD has been working with Hamilton County Emergency Medical Services since 2013 when he started working with the Hamilton County Sheriff SWAT team as a tactical physician.  In 2017, he was named Medical Director for Hamilton County.   As Medical Director he is responsible for guiding, educating and setting protocol for the medical treatment that EMS provides.

​

Dr. Buchheit moved from Michigan to Chattanooga for the completion of his medical training in 2008.  Upon the completion of his residency training in Emergency Medicine Dr. Buchheit stayed on as teaching faculty and practicing physician at Erlanger Medicine Center.  His love of pre-hospital medicine developed in the last year of his residency training when he became assistant medical director for a growing private EMS company and has continued today.

 

​