The Operations section of FCES is comprised of approximately 160 EMT’s and Paramedics. They respond on average to 100 emergency calls per day throughout the county. Eighteen ambulances operate within the county and city of Winston-Salem during the course of daily operations. Each ambulance is staffed by at least one Paramedic and EMT. Our staff strive to work by the principals of “STARCARE”:
- Safe
- Team-based
- Attentive to Human Needs
- Respectful
- Customer-accountable
- Appropriate
- Reasonable
- Ethical
The Operations section is comprised of four shifts that each work twelve hours. Two which work during the day, from 07151915 and two which work during the night, from 1915-0715. We recently switched to this 12-hour model in 2013, from the traditional emergency services model of 24 hour shifts. There is also several peak hour shifts that include 8, 10, 12, and 14 hour shifts. This change was made to ensure our levels of patient care and prevent fatigue of our staff.
Our main EMS base, Station 8, is located at 911 E. 5th Street in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem. This base is home to between 4 and 8 operational units each day. In addition to our units from Station 8, there are ten outlying stations in the county to offer coverage to other towns and cities. Captains, lieutenants and sergeants who are all certified at the paramedic level respond in Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) that are equipped with much of the same vital equipment and medications as our ambulances to assist in stabilizing patients quickly and efficiently.
