The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) is celebrating the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency’s 40th year anniversary.

Created by the Board of Supervisors on March 5, 1984, the EMS Agency has been instrumental in managing and developing the county’s EMS system for the past 40 years.

“EMS was born out of necessity. It is now a necessary part of our healthcare system. The providers of EMS in Santa Barbara are skilled professionals delivering high quality care,” said Dr. Daniel Shepherd, EMS Agency medical director since 2020.

The agency has ensured that the EMS system is focused on Community Access and Education, Provider Safety and Support, and Clinical Excellence.

“EMS is foremost the practice of medicine, and I’m gratified to have been part of our system that, by keeping that in focus, has made tremendous advances in the care of our patients,” said Dr. Angelo Salvucci, EMS Agency medical director, 1990-2020.

Following are some of the EMS System’s accomplishments and advancements:

  • Developed the County’s Trauma System, which has cared for over 50,000 trauma patients
  • Developed the County’s Nationally recognized Cardiac Care System, providing a coordinated system for heart attack and cardiac arrest patients
  • Introduced the Cardiac Arrest Management program to dramatically increase the likelihood of survival for cardiac arrest patients, which has been presented in medical publications and in EMS conferences nationally and internationally.
  • Developed the County’s Nationally recognized Stroke Care System
  • Coordinated and assisted in the Countywide integration and quality management of 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering points and dispatch centers.
  • Established and developed the County Public Health’s Preparedness program
  • Developed a comprehensive H1N1 Influenza response plan, Ebola response Plan, Anthrax response plan, and most recently led the County’s COVID-19 response
  • Led the development of the State’s disaster plan
  • Developed the Medical Reserve Corps, a cadre of volunteer medical professionals designed to augment the County’s health system during a disaster, and whom were instrumental in effecting the County’s COVID-19 response
  • Converted the EMS System from paper documentation to a countywide common patient documentation platform, which has allowed for uniform data entry and management
  • Coordinated the County’s Medical and Health response to the Thomas Fire, 1/9 Debris Flow, and numerous other disasters
  • Secured funding for the emergency medical care of uninsured patients in the hospitals through the Maddy Fund
  • Secured funding for pediatric trauma care across the County through the Richie Fund
  • Deployed hundreds of free bike helmets and car seats to under resourced families
  • Supported the placement of public access automatic external defibrillators
  • Modernized the training and education process and model for EMS field providers
  • Standardized the medical direction provided by local hospitals