Georgetown-Scott County Emergency Medical Services (GSCEMS) is Scott County’s only Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Systems (KBEMS) Advanced Life Support (ALS) certified ground transport provider. GSCEMS provides emergent and non-emergent transportation to the residents and visitors of Scott County. GSCEMS serves a population of over 50,000 residents and visitors year-round, responding to over 7,000 calls for service annually. We currently operate five (5) ALS ambulances with one chase (or supervisor) vehicle out of three (3) stations throughout the county. We have one station in downtown Georgetown, one station in Stamping Ground, and one station in Sadieville.
GSCEMS History
On April 15, 1976, the Scott County Fiscal Court and the Georgetown City Council agreed to create what is now known as Georgetown-Scott County Emergency Medical Services. This was the first joint emergency service in Scott County. Under the direction of Charles Southworth, the service worked with one BLS (Basic Life Support) crew from 6:00 a.m. until shift change the next morning at 6:00 a.m., who were paid on a per-run basis. Under the direction of the late Warren Powers, the crews began working 24-hour shifts with 48 hours off, similar to the fire department. Our run volume averaged about 1,200 runs per year.
In September of 1989, under the direction of Howard Bennett EMT-P, Georgetown-Scott County EMS was approved by the state to upgrade to ALS (Advanced Life Support). This allowed our service to employ paramedics who were authorized to administer IV (intravenous) fluids and medications, as well as perform EKG monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, advanced airway maneuvers, and other advanced skills.
Today, we average over 7,500 calls per year utilizing some of the newest technology available for pre-hospital care. We have nine ambulances and a full-time paid staff of 31 employees. This includes a director, two assistant directors, an education coordinator, 22 full-time Paramedics, two (2) Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMT), and 12 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). For additional assistance, we call upon our pool of part-time personnel.
As of January 1, 2019, our service is officially governed by the Scott County Fiscal Court with Judge-Executive Joe Covington.
As of September 2020, our EMS Chief is Chris Runyon, NRP.
Our crews operate on a 24/48 rotating schedule. This means the crews work for 24 hours and enjoy 48 hours off. This leads us to have three (3) separate platoons or shift days. Each platoon has enough staff to run five (5) ALS ambulances with one supervisor who operates the chase vehicle.
Our current battalion chiefs are:
First Platoon – Jen Ramey, NRP
Second Platoon – Joseph Mata, NRP
Third Platoon – Leland Robinson, NRP
Our ongoing mission at GSCEMS is to endeavor to become the preeminent Pre-hospital Health Care Provider in Central Kentucky by pledging to be an advocate for our customers and our community. We are Committed to Serve through our devotion to education by creating a culture of accountability in an atmosphere of integrity.