DeSoto EMS is located in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana in the northwest corner of the state. It has a population of 25,494 and encompasses an area totaling 877 square miles. Its western border consists of the Sabine River and northern part of Toledo Bend Reservoir.
2000 - A need for a parish-owned ambulance service was recognized, and a proposal was formed
and brought before the voters of DeSoto Parish and a four percent millage tax was
passed. DeSoto Parish EMS is one of five governmental emergency medical services in
the state of Louisiana. The other four are: East Baton Rouge Parish EMS, Bossier
Parish EMS, Orleans Parish EMS, and West Carroll EMS. Fire Chief David Manning
of DeSoto Fire District 8 assumes the position of Board President with other DeSoto
Parish Fire Chiefs as Board Members. Expected income of $705,000 for 2000-2001.
2001- On Friday, August 31, 2001, at 0700hrs., DeSoto Parish EMS began operations with two
ALS medic units being based at DeSoto Regional's former x-ray department. At 0745hrs.,
DeSoto EMS made its first 911 call. On September 2nd at 0015hrs., Medic 1 was put
into service after a "loaner truck" that was being used - broke down. On September
10th., Medic 2 was put in service replacing the final loaner truck. December - crew
quarters were moved to a house on Forest Avenue.
2002- January 15 - Medic 3 was brought online - making it the third 24-hour staffed ALS
medic unit in DeSoto Parish. It was stationed in Stonewall at DeSoto Fire District 3
Central Station. On this same day, Medic 1 was moved to Logansport where it was
housed at DeSoto Fire District 1 - giving DeSoto Parish residents an ambulance within
fifteen minutes maximum response time anywhere within the parish. Before, it could
take up to an hour in some instances for response. Medic 2 was moved from Forest to
DeSoto Fire District 8.
March - Medic 2 was moved to a building in downtown Mansfield at the corner of
Franklin and Monroe Streets.
May - EMS Dispatch was put into operation - employing four full-time dispatchers
working 12-hour shifts.
June 4th - Joe Magee, NREMT-P became Administrator replacing Chief Don
McMullen of Caddo District 3 who served as "start-up" administrator.
July - Joseph Farquhar, MD replaces Charles Black, MD as medical director.
Expected income of $980,000 with expenses $930,500 for 2002.
2003- December 24th - Tragedy strikes DeSoto EMS; Part-time employee FF/Paramedic Shane
Brown was killed while responding to an EMS call early in the morning while working
for DeSoto Fire District 8.
Budget for 2003 - rises to $1,140,000 expected income with $332,000 in expenses.
2004- March - Medic 4 comes on-line, becoming the fourth ALS medic unit serving the citizens
of DeSoto Parish.
April - Medic 5 placed into service, giving DPEMS four frontline trucks and one reserve.
July - budget $1,067,700 income and $1,038,132 expenses.
December - Medic 2 station was relocated to 208 Gibbs Street.
2005- June - Jane Manning was hired becoming DeSoto EMS's first Office Manager - creating
a business office at the Gibbs Street location - promoted 2008 to Administrative Assistant.
July 1 - Bob Lee takes his seat on the Board for District 2, and Todd Kreamer takes his
seat as Board Member for District 5. Budget $1,090,700 income and $1,082,900 expenses.
August - 29 DPEMS takes part in hurricane Katrina rescue efforts, with many
employees taking part of the recovery efforts through December.
2006- January - Jamee Carter becomes first to graduate a DeSoto EMS Paramedic class and
get her Paramedic. DPEMS adopts first shoulder patch (designed by EMS Supervisor
Lane Johnson).
February - Melissa Jones becomes second to graduate a DeSoto EMS Paramedic class
and get her Paramedic.
March - DPEMS launches its web site.
April 1st - Tragedy strikes DeSoto EMS again; full-time employee EMT Joe Prock was
brutally murdered during a home invasion of his mother's house.
June 1st - Medic 1 moves out of DeSoto Fire District 1 and into a new station located at
1204 Gum Street in Logansport.
July 6 - The original Medic 2 was replaced as a frontline unit and placed into
reserves. A 2006 Chevy 4500 remount was placed into service as the new Medic 2
giving DPEMS four frontline trucks and two reserves. The new Medic 2 also sports
a new paint scheme that consist of a large Star of Life on the front of the box. Designed
by EMS Supervisor Lane Johnson with the help of other employees. Budget $1,289,264
for 2006.
August 31 - DPEMS celebrates five years of providing quality care to the citizens of
DeSoto Parish.
December 31 - DPEMS makes 3257 runs for the calendar year.
2007- July - Budget $1,269,625 for 2006-2007. Budget $1,449,125 for 2007-2008.
September - A 2007 Chevy 4500 remount was placed into service as the new Medic 3.
December 31 - DPEMS sets a record with 3747 runs for the calendar year with
January and April, 2007 tying for the most runs - 335.
2008- March - new run record of 371 runs in one month
June 26 - Took possession of New Medic 4, a Chevy 4500, from CustomWorks in Georgia.
July 1 - Rodney Basco replaces the resigning Bryant Yopp, as Board Member for
District 3 (Stonewall area). Budget $1,753,355.48 for 2008-2009 fiscal year.
July 4 - A new 2008 Chevy 4500 was forced into service early as the new Medic 4 when
a Dodge truck heading west bound on Hwy 84 in Logansport turned in front of the
Medic 1 crew heading east, causing a head on collision - resulting in major damage
to Reserve Truck 1. Fortunately, the Medic Crew consisting of Paramedics Jamee Carter
and Brian Warren and the driver of the other vehicle only sustained minor injuries.
Reserve Truck 1 was the original Medic 1 and DeSoto EMS first medic unit, and it made
thousands of runs and served the citizens of DeSoto Parish for six and a half years.
Secretary Jane Manning is promoted to Administrative Assistant.
August - construction of a New Medic 1 is underway to replace the original Medic 1
September - The DeSoto Parish Police Jury - through a corporate endeavor - gives
DeSoto EMS the former Stonewall Library building for an ambulance station, which
will allow us to move out of the fire station at DeSoto Fire District #3 in Stonewall.
Remodeling will soon begin on the project.
December - Board Member, Bill DeLoach, resigns as District 8 Representative.
2009- January - Remodeling did not begin - the building was demolished on 27th and 28th.
March - Bids advertised and opened on the 25th with M & M Construction receiving
the contract. Steel will be ordered as permits, etc. are arranged.
April - Part-time Administrator, Joe Magee, changes to full-time in that position on
the first. New Tahoe arrives for his use.
May 1 - Glen Wilburn takes his seat on the Board for District 8. Pre-construction
conference held on May 11 with M & M and architect, Tris Larsen.
June 28 - Steel arrives at the Station 3 site in Stonewall at 1460 Hwy. 171.
July - Bids are advertised for a new medic unit to replace Medic 2. Employees
receive a significant raise with shift differential pay for weekends. New fiscal year
budget goes into effect on July 1 for $3,130,623.58 - we have come a long way from 2001!
August 18 - Steel framing and concrete work done on Station 3 - interior walls up.
Karen Lee, part-time office employee and dispatcher approved for 2 days a week
instead of one by the Board.
August 24 - Bids are opened for the new medic unit - the first with an International
chassis.
September - 4 Lucas chest compression devices are purchased.
November 5 - Medic 3 crew moves into the new Station 3 from their former quarters
at DeSoto Fire District 3's fire station on Hwy. 3276. The new address is 1460 Hwy. 171
in Stonewall. Now, only one more station to move from rented quarters - Station 2.
November 18 - Gas well blow-out on Hwy 3015 brings home the reality of the danger of
the Haynesville Shale sending DeSoto Fire District 8's C-shift to the emergency room -
many of which are our part-time employees - a wake-up call that we need to be prepared
to do whatever is necessary to remove a patient and/or emergency responders from a
hazardous scene. It might be removing a patient from the top of a gas well derrick or from
the bottom of a gully that is full of oil and drilling mud with the threat of a natural gas
explosion. Recently, we rode a dozer into a pipeline construction site and removed a
patient in the bucket of a track hoe on the way out. After getting stuck in the mud, the
dozer had to push the track hoe out to the waiting medic unit on the highway!
December 21 - DeSoto EMS Strike Rescue Team formed and Ford F-250 pick-up ordered
to transport employees and gear to scenes where rope rescue, haz-mat response, or even
fire suppression is required. DeSoto EMS will assist local fire districts on scenes.
Constant training in progress for Strike Team employees.
December 31 - DeSoto EMS has record number of runs - a medic unit left their station
4188 times. That is over 200 more calls than the previous year.
2010- January 11 - Lane Johnson, EMS Supervisor, promoted to full-time instead of part-time.
March 23 - Each medic unit is equipped with a LUCAS chest compression system device.
March 29 - New 2010 International Medic Unit (called the new Medic 2) delivered.
April 12 - Board approves Architect Brian McNew to begin working on a Central
Station for DeSoto EMS to move Medic Units 2 and 4 and the Business Office to a
central location - possibly on Hwy 171 north on the new four lane about 2.5 miles
outside the city of Mansfield. (See February 2011 for project update.)
April 15 - 2011 Ford F-250 Strike Team Truck delivered - camper shell and bed slide
installed and equipped with chain saws, generator, lights, stretcher, ropes, SCBA's, etc.
May 5 - Paramedics are finalizing certifications after DeSoto EMS' paramedic class. Our
part-time employees: Noel Tucker, Kassi Tyler, and Diane Parker are now paramedics.
The class was taught by our full-time employee, Paramedic Patrick Benfield.
June - The DeSoto Police Jury gives the road at our proposed site a new name - EMS
Circle - and agrees to take it as a public road once the state designates it as such.
August - Administrator Magee's new Ford Expedition is delivered and EMS Supervisor
Lane Johnson takes the Tahoe for his response vehicle.
September - $16,456.00 from Encana allowed us to purchase a needed off-road Mule for
the Mansfield area to transport patients from remote sites to a waiting ambulance.
EOG donated $3000 to purchase a trailer for the Mule. British Petroleum also donates
$16,481.00 for another Mule for the northern end of the parish.
The donations were secured by the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association and are greatly
appreciated! The Mules will be of great benefit to our DeSoto EMS Strike Team who have
been training in high angle rope rescue to bring patients down from drilling platforms
safely. We have had so many incidents where patients in precarious situations are in need
of skilled rescue techniques since the Haynesville Shale has been discovered in DeSoto
Parish. Record numbers of runs - 437.
October 8 - Bids are opened for a LifePak 15. Employees number 56 & are:
Administrator (also a paramedic), EMS Supervisor (also a paramedic), Communications
Supervisor, Administrative Assistant, and Billing Clerk (also an EMT) plus 4 full-time
dispatchers (one is an EMT basic); 21 EMT's and 26 paramedics.
December 9 - $2500 donation received from Shell for purchase of a trailer for the Mule.
December 31 - DeSoto EMS record number of calls for a medic unit to roll - 4524.
Actual incident numbers assigned - 4285 - and that is a record as well!
2011- January 10 - Melonie Confair hired as full-time Office Assistant
February 14 - Bid opening for new Central Station with M & M Construction the
low bidder. $1,287,898.00 for 9408 square feet of space - including 6 bays, 8 dorm
spaces, a conference room, billing office, and administrative offices. Land donated
by Nabors Properties - 2.99 acres on EMS Circle. The architect is Brian McNew.
March 15 - On-site construction to begin at 11113 Hwy. 171 for new Central Station.
Completion expected Thanksgiving, 2011 per contractor Mike McFerren.
April 29, 2011 - Foundation poured at new Central Station site on EMS Circle.
May 5, 2011 - Electronic patient charting using ESO on Toughbooks computer in the
medic units "up and running".
June 30, 2011 - Collections exceed $1,000,000 for the first time in company history.
October 20, 2011 - A new medic unit is driven back to Louisiana from Georgia. Medic 4
will be the number. All the latest and greatest features on the new International.
October 25, 2011 - Our new Central Station is nearing completion with interior detailing,
landscaping, and cleaning on the "to do" list. Expected move-in date is mid-November!
Central Station will be home to Medic units 2 and 4, the Administrator's office, the EMS
Supervisor's office, the business office, and a Board Room/Training Room. 6 bays will house
the medic units and other vehicles. Sitting on 3 acres, the setting is rustic and will enhance
the style of the mountain-lodge-look of the building with its stucco and stone exterior.
Furniture and appliances are arriving daily. We could not be more excited about our move!
History of The "Star Of Life"
|
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration registered the
"Star of Life"
symbol as an EMS trademark in 1977.
According to early documents, the "Star of Life" was to be used on emergency medical care vehicles to certify that they met U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) standards, to identify medical equipment and supplies for installation and use on those vehicles, by emergency care personnel to certify they were trained to meet US DOT standards, by administrators, supervisor or dispatchers of EMS services, on road maps and signs to indicate the location of or access to qualified emergency care services, and on printed materials with direct EMS application. Other uses were prohibited. Lettering was not to be superimposed on the "Star of Life." The "Star of Life" consists of a six-barred cross, printed in blue on a white background, if the article is in color. The "Star" represents the six primary system functions of EMS: (1) detection of the incident, (2) reporting of the incident, (3) response to the incident, (4) on scene patient care, (5) patient care in transit, and (6) transfer to definitive care. In the center of the "Star" is the staff of Asclepius, a son of Apollo, who in Greek mythology learned the art of healing from a centaur. Coiled around the staff is a curative serpent. In ancient Greece, worshippers used to sleep in Asclepius' temples in the belief that he cured the sick during their dreams. |
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