Chief Kirkwood
Chief Skip Kirkwood was appointed on April 4, 2005.
His 33-year career includes line and leadership position in EMS agencies in eight states, including municipal, county, hospital-operated and community-owned EMS agencies. He is a well-known consultant, author and lecturer on a variety of EMS topics, including operations analysis, weapons of mass destruction, bioterrorism and major incident management.
Chief Kirkwood leads the Wake County Department of Public Safety’s EMS Division, which operates 18 advanced life support ambulances, three supervisor response units and a major incident support unit, with a staff of 170 full- and part-time paramedics, responding to 38,000 calls per year. In addition, he and his staff provide coordination and performance oversight for the system’s seven contract EMS agencies and numerous franchised interfacility transportation providers.
Kirkwood holds a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York, a master’s in health services administration from Central Michigan University, and a juris doctorate from Rutgers University. In 2004, he was awarded the Executive Fire Officer certificate by the National Fire Academy. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the National EMS Management Association and is active in the National Association of EMTs Chiefs, Officers, and Administrators Division.
When asked to describe his vision for EMS in Wake County, Chief Kirkwood said,
First, Wake County EMS will continue to be at the leading edge of effective emergency medical services delivery that includes the finest clinical care possible. We will strive to improve the service’s already-impressive cardiac arrest save rate and other evidence-based clinical indicators.
Second, we will be a comprehensive EMS organization that provides, in addition to ambulance operations, public health and preventive service delivery, and the level of special EMS operations services that our community requires. These include:
- Mass gathering medicine utilizing nontraditional delivery vehicles such as bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs, Segway human transporters, and other options for effective movement in crowded environments.
- Tactical medicine support for our community’s numerous law enforcement special operations units.
- Hazardous materials, urban search and rescue, and other technical rescue medical support, providing care for those specialized response teams and for citizens that are sick or injured due to toxic exposure, entrapment, or other special circumstance.
- Emergency responder care and rehabilitation.
Third, we will deliver the highest level and the highest quality care possible, whenever and wherever it is needed.
Fourth, we will develop, train and maintain a highly skilled, qualified, safe and physically fit workforce, so that we will be able to deliver these services to our community in a manner that minimizes risks to our medics and their patients.
Fifth, we will further enhance the outstanding level of cooperation that exists between Wake County EMS and our co-responders in the law enforcement and fire-rescue services. As they support our EMS efforts, we will utilize our knowledge, skills and capabilities to care for their health and safety as they deliver their essential services to the community. We will effectively integrate our services with theirs through cooperative training, regular communication and a dedicated effort to effectively implement the National Incident Management System and ICS across the county.
Sixth, we will be data-driven, and we will leverage existing and future technology to measure and improve our clinical and operational performance.
Seventh, we will be a an excellent regional partner, leader and resource, sharing expertise, leadership, training resources and operational cooperation with nearby EMS agencies, our hospital partners and others whose orbits intersect ours.
Chief Skip Kirkwood, MS, JD, EMT-P, EFO
919-856-6026
Skip.Kirkwood@co.wake.nc.us