History of Harnett County EMS
| July 1, 2020 | Harnett County Emergency Medical Services began a Community Paramedic Program. |
| October 1, 2019 | Dr. Sean Ray was appointed by the Harnett County Board of Commissioners as the EMS System Medical Director. Dr. Ray is a Board-Certified Emergency Medicine Physician and a graduate of Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, WV. He completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Ray also has a Master of Health Care of Administration through Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock, TX. Dr. Ray is a decorated veteran of the United States Army where he served our great country and was Honorably Discharged in 2015 at the rank of Major/O4. |
| July 1, 2019 | The Harnett County EMS System was approved by the North Carolina Office of EMS as an approved EMS Continuing Education Teaching Institution. The teaching institution will allow the Harnett County EMS Training Department to teach national, state, or local-level continuing education curricula in-house. |
| December 1, 2016 | Dr. Erin Wirths was appointed as the EMS System Medical Director by the Harnett County Board of Commissioners. |
| November 30, 2016 | Dr. Greg Christiansen, Medical Director resigned to become the Dean of Medicine at Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa. Although Dr. Christiansen only served a few short months as the medical director, his wisdom and service have left a lasting impact on our EMS System. Dr. Christiansen developed a partnership between Campbell's School of Osteopathic Medicine Simulation Center (CUSOM) and the Harnett County EMS System to allow our EMS Technicians the ability to train at this state-of-the-art facility. This partnership continues to this day with multiple technicians being trained each month. |
| October 3, 2016 | Dr. Erin Wirths, DO was appointed by the Harnett County Board of Commissioners as the Assistant EMS System Medical Director. Dr. Wirths is a Board-Certified Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services Physician and a graduate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her Emergency Medicine Residency at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Wirths obtained her EMS & Disaster Medicine Fellowship at the State University of New York - Upstate Medical Center. Prior to medical school Dr. Wirths also served as a Firefighter/EMT in Maine. |
| July 31, 2016 | After 34 years of continuous and dedicated service Dr. Mark Glaser, Medical Director retires from the Harnett County EMS System. Dr. Glaser was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Dr. George Johnson Jr. Medical Directors Award, and numerous other state and local awards. Dr. Glaser is thought to be the longest continuous serving medical director in the State of North Carolina. His tireless efforts and the legacy he leaves has forever shaped the EMS services here in Harnett County and surrounding communities. The Harnett County Board of Commissioners appointed Dr. Greg Christiansen, DO as acting Medical Director effective August 1, 2016. |
| April 4, 2016 | The Harnett County Board of Commissioners appointed Dr. Greg Christiansen as the Assistant Medical Director in preparation for the upcoming retirement of Dr. Mark Glaser. Dr. Greg Christiansen received his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture and his osteopathic medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he served as chief resident during his final year. He also holds a master of education degree in adult learning from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education. Dr. Christiansen has been a member of the board of directors of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) since 2001 and was president of the organization from 2011 to 2013. He also has been a member of the boards of directors of the Emergency Medicine Action Fund advocacy group and the Old Dominion Emergency Medical Service Counsel; a reviewer for the journal Resuscitation; and medical director for several emergency medical service agencies. As medical commander of the Virginia-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team, he was deployed to support the president and to assist at disaster events including Hurricane Katrina. |
| February 2016 | Harnett Health System requested to add Paramedics to their ER staffing. This request was granted into our EMS System as the First Non-Traditional Practice setting for Paramedics. Medical Director Dr. Mark Glaser appointed Dr. Dan Minor Assistant Medical Director for Non-Traditional Practice Paramedics to oversee these technicians. |
| July 2009 | Harnett County EMS began to change its staffing and unit dynamics at the request of a few contract agencies. We have continued this staffing and unit dynamics to this day while continuing to maintain a first duty response time of 8-10 minutes countywide. |
| July 2005 | Harnett County EMS resumed all Non-Emergency Transport Services from Firsthealth of the Carolinas. Harnett County EMS began operating two (2) non-emergency ambulances twenty-four (24) hours a day seven (7) days a week and one (1) wheelchair transport van during normal business hours. This service allows those citizens who need transport during non-emergency situations the ability to receive this service without regard to financial status. To help coordinate this effort the service hired a Transport Coordinator who receives and schedules all transport requests. |
| October 7, 1999 | Harnett County EMS underwent another major change. For the first time in Harnett County's history, there was Paramedic Coverage in every area of the county. This system enabled us to provide a first duty response time of 10-12 minutes countywide. This is a recommended goal proposed by Dr. Glaser, ALS Medical Director for Harnett County. This program has not affected the operations of the individual contract EMS Agencies in Harnett County. Every contract EMS agency operates independently as they have in the past including the budgeting process, their elections of Officers, and Board of Directors. Every Contract Agency continued to provide coverage 24 hours a day. The following describes all the changes:
The Paramedic QRV & Transporting ALS Zones are as follows:
Prior to October 7, Harnett EMS had three (3) twenty-four (24) hour Transporting Ambulances and One (1) Day Time Ambulance. After October 7, the Harnett County Board of Commissioners decided to restructure Harnett EMS as follows: Four (4) Quick Response Vehicles (QRV - Paramedic Level) and Two (2) Paramedic transporting units were established throughout the County. This is in addition to all the contract EMS Agencies (at various levels) that already exist in Harnett County. |
| September 1, 1999 | First Health of the Carolina was franchised to provide all non-emergent local transports and all out-of-county transports. During their tenure, First Health of the Carolinas operated out of Dunn Emergency Services with two (2) Paramedic level ambulances. |
| October 12, 1992 | A decision was made to progress to the Paramedic level. On October 12, 1992, the employees began their training. This training consisted of 200 hours of Classroom instruction, 80 hours of hospital clinical, and 108 hours of field internship with other EMT-P organizations. Upon completion, Harnett EMS employees certified at the EMT-P would also be able to administer additional Drugs such as Valium, Lasix, Morphine, Thiamine, Dopamine, and Benadryl, perform Nasotracheal Intubation, Chest Needle Decompression, administer Aerosol Nebulizer Treatments, and perform Cardioversion for unstable fast ventricular and supraventricular rhythms. Since the implementation of the Paramedic program, there have been various changes in the Medications and Procedures allowed by Harnett Paramedics. They had three Paramedic Transporting Units (24/7 - two at EMS Base in Buies Creek and One in Northern Harnett) and One Daytime Intermediate Transport Unit (8 am-5 pm at Buies Creek) |
| July 1988 | A need was seen for a higher level of care. At that time, Harnett EMS began providing advanced life support at the EMT-Advanced Intermediate (EMT-AI) Level. In addition to the skills of the EMT-B & EMT-I, the employees were instructed in Endotracheal Intubation, and administration of Several Cardiac Medications including Epinephrine, Lidocaine, Atropine, Sodium Bicarbonate, Nitroglycerine, and other Medications. Other additional skills included applying a Cardiac Monitor/Defibrillator, Manual Defibrillation of a Cardiac Arrest Patient, and performing External Cardiac Pacing. To obtain this Level of Training, Harnett EMS Employees had to attend an additional 72 hours of Classroom and 72 hours of Clinical Training if different areas of Good Hope Hospital. |
| August 1, 1982 | Harnett EMS began providing Advanced Life Support at the EMT-Intermediate (EMT-I) Level. In addition to the skills of an EMT-B, the EMT-I could insert intravenous (IV) catheters with the subsequent administration of IV fluids, perform DextroStix to obtain blood sugar levels, administer Dextrose 50% IV for Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar), treat Anaphylactic Shock with subcutaneous Epinephrine, insertion of an Esophageal Obturator Airway, application of Medical Anti-Shock Trousers, and obtain venous blood samples from the patients who are treated and transported. In August of 1982, Dr. Stanley McQuade would turn over Medical Direction to Dr. Mark Glaser, MD. |
| Starting In 1978 | Harnett County EMS has existed since 1978 providing emergency care to the citizens of Harnett County under the Medical Direction of Dr. Stanley McQuade, MD. Harnett County EMS has also been available to back up any and all of the local rescue squads throughout the county and provide non-emergency transport care for the hospitals, nursing homes, and the invalid citizens of Harnett County. When Harnett County EMS began, all employees were certified at the EMS-Basic (EMT-B) Level. They were able to provide only basic life support to the patients who were transported. |