About us

The Tidewater Emergency

Medical Services Council, Inc.

At any moment, an individual may suffer a sudden, life-threatening illness or traumatic injury requiring immediate medical attention. More than one in every six people in the Tidewater Emergency Medical Services (EMS) region will summon an emergency ambulance this year. The ambulance response is provided from a local level, triggered by a call to 9-1-1. The professional volunteer and career emergency medical personnel are certified, and their ambulances are licensed, by the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Emergency Medical Services. At a regional level, the Tidewater EMS Council was incorporated in 1974 as a non-profit private organization for the purpose of developing and implementing an efficient and effective regional EMS delivery system. The council integrates and coordinates resources to ensure rapid response and expert patient care, as well as coordination between more than 70 local EMS agencies and 12 hospitals.

v EMS system planning and coordination for 10 cities and counties in Southeastern Virginia and Virginia's Eastern Shore. This program is guided and funded primarily under an annual contract with the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services and local contributions. These services include:

· Coordination and guidance of EMS training programs, specialized course development and provision, and administration of state EMS test sites within the region.

· Coordination of a Critical Incident Stress Management team, a group of volunteer mental health and public safety workers who are specially trained to provide crisis management education, defusing and debriefings for emergency services personnel.

· Recognition of EMS personnel via an annual regional awards recognition program and family picnic. This activity is largely supported by the hospital emergency departments and emergency physician groups throughout the region. Regional award recipients are forwarded as nominees for the Virginia Governor's EMS Awards program. The awards program is part of the council's overall recruitment and retention initiative which includes May EMS week displays and promotion of volunteer and career opportunities.

· Publication of a bi-monthly EMS newsletter, Response, with a circulation to more than 2260 individuals and agencies throughout the region. Printing of the newsletter is funded by continuing support from the Nightingale Air Ambulance, Sentara Health System.

· Administrative support for the Virginia-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) which is a partnership between the City of Norfolk, York County and the Virginia Office of EMS. The DMAT is a group of professional and para-professional medical personnel (supported by a cadre of logistical and administrative staff) designed to provide medical care during a disaster or other event.

v The Tidewater Center for Life Support (TCLS) Training, managed on behalf of the Eastern Virginia Medical School, provides continuing medical education for physicians, nurses and other medical professionals as well as the general public in programs like CPR and first aid, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support. Through training courses offered directly and through a network of training sites, TCLS trains more than 16,000 persons annually making it one of the most active American Heart Association training centers in the mid-Atlantic region. The program is funded by student registrations and the EVMS operating budget.

v Implementation and sustainment of the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Response System, managed in close cooperation with the neighboring Peninsulas EMS Council, which is a program to improve regional medical response to acts of terrorism or any large disaster within the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) region. This program is funded by 16 HRPDC cities and counties and various federal contracts and grants.

v Kent J. Weber Emergency Response Training and Simulation Center is an advanced medical training facility featuring high fidelity adult and pediatric medical simulation manikins, advanced resuscitation equipment, and digital recording for follow-up performance evaluation. The center provides a safe, controlled and low stress environment for medical and public safety responders to learn and practice a range of emergency response skills utilizing state-of-the-art teach tools and methodologies. Additional courses include mass casualty, disaster and incident command training, team training, leadership and management training as well as medical continuing education courses.

The council's 24-member board of directors represents the 10 cities and counties within the Tidewater EMS region plus six other medical organizations. The 10 jurisdictions are the Cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and the Counties of Accomack, Isle of Wight, Northampton and Southampton.

The regional EMS plan is fully revised every three years by the board of directors and interim revisions are accomplished annually. A number of standing committees assist the board accomplish the goals and objectives identified in the plan, and workgroups, taskforces and subcommittees assist the standing committees. See our meeting schedule.

The council is a 501 (c) (3) organization. Our federal 990 form is available for review at any time during normal office hours and is posted electronically at Guidestar, a national database of non-profits. Unrestricted as well as targeted contributions are always appreciated.