Crowley, Medical College Celebrate 50 Years of EMS

City of West Allis ambulance. Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County.

It’s only been 50 years since the first class of paramedics was trained in Milwaukee County.

In November 1973, the first paramedic team in Southeastern Wisconsin began operating. The West Allis Fire Department’s MED 1 represented a leap forward for pre-hospital emergency care.

The program was developed by Dr. Joe Darin of the Medical College of Wisconsin during a time of major change for emergency medical care across the country. It was only a few years after Miami created the first paramedic team in the country, and the same year that Congress passed the Emergency Medical Systems Act.

On Wednesday County Executive David Crowley joined some of the top emergency medical officials in the county, as well as some of Milwaukee’s first paramedics, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Emergency Medical Services in Milwaukee County at the MCW’s Hub for Collaborative Medicine.

“Positive health outcomes depend not only on the efforts of first responders but also on the collaboration with healthcare systems and other medical professionals,” Crowley said in a statement. “It is because of these successful partnerships that Milwaukee County residents can rest assured, knowing they’re in good hands during an emergency. I remain inspired by the continued dedication of all EMS workers throughout the past 50 years and look forward to what we can collectively accomplish in the next 50 to make Milwaukee County the healthiest county in Wisconsin.”

Milwaukee County provides emergency medical services through its Office of Emergency Management (OEM). The current director of EMS, Dr. Ben Weston, is only the third director since its inception, following Dr. Riccardo Colella and Dr. Ron Pirallo.

The county’s EMS system unites 14 municipal fire departments under a single authority run by OEM and MCW.

“The collaboration between the Medical College of Wisconsin and Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management has led to innovative advancements in research and patient care. Through their willingness to test new technologies and pilot new treatments, OEM and first responders have helped MCW improve outcomes for community members needing treatment on the front lines,” MCW President and CEO Dr. John R. Raymond, Sr., said in a statement. “As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, MCW looks forward to continuing this important partnership to improve the health of all in our community.”