Advanced Life Support
Southern Chester County Emergency Medical Services (SCCEMS) is the primary provider of advanced life support/paramedic services for south western Chester County. Since 1983, SCCEMS has staffed MEDIC units to provide this life saving service. These MEDIC 94 units and providers essentially bring the resources of the emergency department to the patient.
MEDIC 94 units are based out of two locations, the Jennersville Regional Hospital located in West Grove and the Avondale Firehouse located in Avondale. These paramedic intercept units are staffed 24/7 with one paramedic and a full compliment of advanced life support equipment. An additional responder unit and a squad/supervisors response unit is stationed at the Jennersville Regional Hospital.
SCCEMS paramedics in the ALS Division operate in a two-tiered EMS system, with basic life support services and patient transport provided by the area’s volunteer ambulance services. Based on triaging at the Chester County 9-1-1 center, SCCEMS MEDIC 94 units are dispatched along with the local ambulances on all life-threatening calls such as cardiac arrest and other heart problems, strokes, diabetic emergencies, respiratory distress, seizures, unconscious/unresponsive patients, shootings, stabbings, drownings and serious automobile accidents. Historically, SCCEMS paramedic units are dispatched on 45% of 9-1-1 EMS calls in the primary service area.
In 2016, the advanced life support division responded to over 2,800 dispatches with a mobilization percentage of 99% in 2 minutes or less and an average response time of 9 minutes. SCCEMS paramedics spend an average of 15 minutes on the scene with patients and an average call takes 65 minutes.
MEDIC 94 units also provide mutual aid coverage for The Longwood Fire Company MICU 25, MEDIC 93 from Brandywine Hospital and Lancaster County paramedic units. Last year 5% of MEDIC 94 dispatches were mutual aid calls.