Department Overview

Wake County EMS is a County-operated, third service provider of emergency medical services. The organization began operation on July 1, 1976, and celebrated its 30th year of service in 2006. Wake County EMS is the largest of seven agencies comprising the Wake County EMS System, and the sole public-sector provider.

Wake County EMS operates 15 Type III advanced life support ambulances 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and one Type III advanced life support ambulance 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, from 10 discrete stations and 4 stations shared with local fire departments. Three district chiefs on each shift supervise EMS operations. Each district chief operates a Chevrolet Suburban, state-licensed, quick response vehicle equipped with a full complement of ALS and incident management equipment. Minimum staffing for ambulances is one paramedic and one intermediate, although 95% of the time, ambulances are staffed with two paramedics. District chiefs and all command staff officers are also paramedics.

Wake County EMS has 123 full-time and 41 part-time employees. It protected approximately 500,000 people, responded to 40,000 requests for service, and transported 29,000 patients in 2005. The annual operating budget is more than $10,000,000.