About

Vision
Our mission statement of quality values and principles embodies the vision of emergency services in Lake and Sumter counties. These fundamentals will be used to pioneer the course of Lake-Sumter EMS now and in the future.

Mission
To serve our communities by providing exceptional patient care and extraordinary customer service through compassion, knowledge, clinical sophistication and the integrity of our organization.

Quality Values and Principles

  • Value honesty, trustworthiness and integrity
  • Exhibit dignity and respect for one another
  • Dedicated pride of service
  • Foster empowerment
  • Manage through leadership
  • Focus on personal and professional growth

History

Lake County Sumter County

1940s-1960s
Local funeral homes provided ambulance service to Lake County. Zeller of Eustis, Steverson of Tavares, Kurfiss of Groveland and Dabney of Leesburg.

Mid 1970s-1983
Lake County ambulance services still fragmented into three service areas. South Lake Memorial Hospital in the south, Leesburg Fire Department in the northwest and Waterman Memorial Hospital in the northeast.

1985
Ambulance service in North Lake County is combined under Waterman Medical Center. In 1986, Waterman contracts with South Lake Hospital to provide ambulance service to all of Lake County as a single provider d.b.a. Lake County EMS. In 1987, Sumter County contracts with Waterman Medical Center’s ambulance service to both counties under the name of Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Services. In 1991, Waterman Medical Center contracts with Hernando County to provide ambulance services and Lake-Sumter EMS becomes Florida Regional EMS. In 1995, Citrus County joins with Florida Hospital Waterman d.b.a. Florida Regional EMS. Service continues in all four counties until Sept. 30, 2000.

1940s-1960s
Local funeral homes provided ambulance services to Sumter County. Percell of Wildwood, Kurfiss of Groveland and Dabney of Leesburg.

Late 1960s-Early 1970s
One private company provided ambulance service to Sumter County. Physicians and surgeons ambulance provided service to all of Sumter County until January 1975.

Mid 1970s-1983
Herndon Ambulance provided service to all of Sumter County until October 1983.

1983-1987
A hospital-owned company provided ambulance service to Sumter County. Central Florida Ambulance Services, operated by Lake Community Hospital provides ambulance services to Sumter County.

1987
In 1987, Sumter County contracts with Waterman Medical Center to provide ambulance service to both counties under the name of Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Services. 1991, Waterman Medical Center contracts with Hernando County to provide ambulance services and Lake-Sumter EMS becomes Florida Regional EMS. In 1995, Citrus County joins with Florida Hospital Waterman d.b.a. Florida Regional EMS. Service continues in all four counties until Sept 30, 2000.

Lake-Sumter EMS, Inc
On Oct. 1, 2000, Lake-Sumter EMS, Inc., began operations as a unique, government-owned, bi-county corporation given the mandate to provide efficient, cost-effective emergency medical service and transportation of the sick and injured citizens and visitors of Lake and Sumter counties, Fla. As Lake-Sumter EMS progresses towards its ninth year of operation, it continues to strive to achieve and eventually surpass those initial goals.

Geographic/Demographic overview of Lake and Sumter counties
Lake County is appropriately named for its 1,400 lakes, which cover 202 square miles of its 1,163 square mile total. Located in Central Florida, Lake County is 90 miles in length and 35 miles in width, and is bordered by Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter, Volusia and Marion Counties. It is a part of the Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area, one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. Bureau of the Census 2000 statistics indicate the population was 210,528, a population increase of 38% since 1990.

Sumter County is a predominately rural agricultural community located about 30 miles south of Ocala and about 60 miles north of Tampa. The county is approximately 574 square miles in size, including 19 square miles of water, and is bordered by Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Polk and Lake counties. The Bureau of the Census 2000 statistics indicates the population was 53,345, which represents a population increase of 68.9% since 1990.

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