What We Do
Spearfish Ambulance Service is committed to providing the highest
quality of patient care. To that end, our Paramedics and EMT's are
continually advancing their knowledge and skill through ongoing
education. They have technologically advanced medical equipment and
vehicles at their fingertips, including automatic external
defibrillators (AED's) in every ambulance, and utilize Zoll E-Series
defibrillators in our primary response units which are capable of
monitoring; vital signs, standard EKG, and 12-lead EKG tracings with
transmitting capabilities.
Basic
Life Support (BLS)
The BLS team structure is dispatched for minor trauma / medical
patients. Emergency Medical Technician's
are certified according to SD Department of Public Safety/Emergency
Medical Services and/or National Registry of EMT's guidelines. EMT-Basics
are individuals who have passed a state or nationally standardized
course that includes CPR, AED, airway management, artificial
ventilation, basic trauma life support, emergency childbirth, rescue
and extrication, and other noninvasive skills.
Advanced
Life Support (ALS)
Advanced Life Support team members are comprised of two different
levels of certification. The first is the EMT-Intermediate. These are
EMT's who have advanced their education and skill level to establish
IV's and secure the airway with specially designed devices. The highest
level of pre-hospital providers are the Paramedics. Paramedics are
highly trained patient care providers who are specially equipped to
assess a patient's needs and provide a wide range of therapies to
stabilize or correct many acute medical problems. These providers are
skilled in the treatment of many medical and traumatic emergencies to
include; chest pain, shortness of breath, altered mental status,
cardiac arrest, and major trauma (to name a few).
All of these levels of certification require on-going education and skills development in order to provide the best care available. The continuous training needed becomes a challenge, which Spearfish Ambulance Service has addressed by becoming an educational leader throughout the state. Our higher commitment to education has allowed us the honor of being a preceptor site for other EMT students, of all levels, as a means to further develop their skills and knowledge.
Always There When You Call
Spearfish
Ambulance Service began providing pre-hospital patient care to the
Spearfish community and surrounding area in 1976. In 1997 we
began offering services to the citizens of Whitewood as well.
Currently, our organization provides care to the northern half of
Lawrence County with an ALS outreach program to other ambulance
services in the surrounding areas.
Believe it or not - All of the services and capabilities outlined above are provided by a, primarily, VOLUNTEER staff. These individuals practice their skills and provide their knowledge out of a PASSION to help others.
