Lake-Sumter EMS Receives National Honors

Lake-Sumter EMS Honored As EMS Service Of The Year By National Assoc. of EMTs

Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Services received national honors for its achievements in the Emergency Medical Services field.  The Jeffery Harris Paid EMS Service of the Year for 2008 was presented to executive director Jim Judge at the National Association of EMTs Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on October 14, 2008.

The prestigious national award recognizes one paid service each year that demonstrates excellence in EMS system design and provision of excellent patient care.  The service honored must also foster a positive and safe work environment for EMS providers.

In addition to consistently excellent response times and quality of care, Lake-Sumter EMS, was recognized for service to the community, its many innovative educational programs, state-of-the-art technology advances and an exemplary communications center which not only dispatches emergency medical calls for Lake and Sumter counties but also for 11 local fire departments.
One exemplary educational program which Lake-Sumter EMS has initiated is catching the attention of Lake and Sumter residents, along with EMS agencies around the country.  The “When to Call 911” public awareness campaign focuses on an educational website (www.Whentocall911.com) and also consists of educational materials, advertising, posters, and the website.  The campaign is a bold step in educating people on how to make the right call in an emergency.

 “Part of the focus of this campaign is to help people know who, how and when to call for help in an emergency, what to do while waiting for the ambulance, and what information should be gathered to help emergency personnel when they arrive on the scene,” said Jim Judge, Executive Director of Lake-Sumter EMS.  “We also want to help people understand that any time emergency vehicles are tied up on non-emergency calls, there could be a delay in response time to a life-threatening emergency.  We studied the hundreds of non-emergent calls we were receiving, and identified why we were getting these calls. The When to Call 911 program helps address these issues in a positive, informational way.  We believe this will help save lives, too,” added Judge.

Lake-Sumter EMS puts into action its motto “In rhythm with our community through a diverse cross-section of community involvement.  Staff, from the executive director on down through the ranks, devote hundreds of hours each year to serving the community through charitable events such as the March of Dimes Walk America and leadership roles with many local organizations such as United Way, Leadership Lake County, the Lake-Sumter Community College Foundation and many other non-profit entities.

Another innovative community initiative which has received accolades is the Lake-Sumter EMS Well-Check Program.  Started in 2002, the Well-Check Program is a home-based wellness service that reaches out to over 150 rural home-bound community residents.  Staffed by agency paramedics who make home visits and provide blood pressure checks, blood glucose monitoring, patient assessments and health education, the program provides an important link between these patients and the medical community. As the Secretary for the Department of Elder Affairs stated at a Lake County forum, “The Lake-Sumter EMS Well-Check Program is one of the best outreach programs for senior citizens in the state of Florida.”

In summarizing the agency’s pride at receiving this national EMS award, Jim Judge explained that this honor, coming on the heels of the agency’s receipt of the Florida State EMS Provider of the Year for 2008, is very rewarding for Lake-Sumter EMS.  He noted that these awards are not the result of a single person’s efforts but rather they are the culmination of eight years of hard work on the part of the Lake-Sumter EMS staff, crews, and the Lake-Sumter EMS Board of Directors.  Jim Judge remarked, “The agency would not have achieved the success it has without the unwavering support of the Lake and Sumter County Boards of County Commissioners, law enforcement entities, fire rescue departments and so many other community supporters.  All of these people have played a key role in making Lake-Sumter EMS what it is today and deserve tremendous credit for building our EMS system which has now been recognized as one of the best in the nation.”

Lake-Sumter Emergency Medical Services, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2000 by Lake and Sumter Counties to provide quality, community-based EMS services.  The agency operates 27 Advanced Life Support units from stations located throughout both Lake and Sumter counties.  The company is governed by a Board of Directors headed by Chairman Welton G. Cadwell.  Jim Judge serves as Executive Director with administrative offices located at 2761 W. Old Highway 441 in Mount Dora, Florida.  Contact Mr. Judge at 352-383-4554 or 352-516-1532.