Pa. EMS reaches full-time, 24/7 paramedic staffing

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Wakefield EMS has cut emergency response times in southern Lancaster County by hiring four full-time paramedics, its first paid staff since the 1970s.

Lieutenant August Prince, ALS assistant coordinator, said that when the service relied only on volunteers, crews were sometimes unavailable and patients could wait up to 30 minutes for an ambulance, WGAL reported. Now, with round-the-clock paramedic coverage, Wakefield EMS can deliver advanced care any time of day.

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“We’re able to provide the most advanced care for any cardiac trauma, any kind of severe medical issues,” Prince said. “You’re getting the most advanced care within a few minutes versus prior, you’re waiting 15 to 25 minutes minimum for a paramedic to arrive here.”

Residents no longer wait for crews from Quarryville, Willow Street or Maryland — their own Wakefield EMS now answers the call, a change locals appreciate, Prince said.

Grants and township funding are driving the service’s continued expansion.

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