Santa Barbara County EMS Agency Celebrates 40 Years

Community Access and Education, Provider Safety and Support, and Clinical Excellence

It is with great pleasure that the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) celebrates the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency’s 40th year anniversary. Created by the Board of Supervisors on March 5, 1984, the EMS Agency has been instrumental in managing and developing the County’s EMS system for the past 40 years. The Agency has ensured that the EMS system is focused on Community Access and Education, Provider Safety and Support, and Clinical Excellence. This focus has driven some substantial innovations over the past four decades.

Here are a few of the EMS System’s accomplishments and advancements:

• Developed the County’s Trauma System, which has cared for over 50,000 trauma patients
• Developed the County’s Nationally recognized Cardiac Care System, providing a coordinated system for heart attack and cardiac arrest patients
• Introduced the Cardiac Arrest Management program to dramatically increase the likelihood of survival for cardiac arrest patients, which has been presented in medical publications and in EMS conferences nationally and internationally.
• Developed the County’s Nationally recognized Stroke Care System
• Coordinated and assisted in the Countywide integration and quality management of 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering points and dispatch centers.
• Established and developed the County Public Health’s Preparedness program
• Developed a comprehensive H1N1 Influenza response plan, Ebola response Plan, Anthrax response plan, and most recently led the County’s COVID-19 response
• Led the development of the State’s disaster plan
• Developed the Medical Reserve Corps, a cadre of volunteer medical professionals designed to augment the County’s health system during a disaster, and whom were instrumental in effecting the County’s COVID-19 response
• Converted the EMS System from paper documentation to a countywide common patient documentation platform, which has allowed for uniform data entry and management
• Coordinated the County’s Medical and Health response to the Thomas Fire, 1/9 Debris Flow, and numerous other disasters
• Secured funding for the emergency medical care of uninsured patients in the hospitals through the Maddy Fund
• Secured funding for pediatric trauma care across the County through the Richie Fund
• Deployed hundreds of free bike helmets and car seats to under resourced familie
• Supported the placement of public access automatic external defibrillators
• Modernized the training and education process and model for EMS field providers
• Standardized the medical direction provided by local hospitals

What does it mean to turn 40? For the EMS Agency staff, it is an opportunity to reflect on the amazing work of the Agency and to recognize the leaders of the past that shaped the agency. It allows us to take an “operational pause” to look to identify opportunities and challenges that lies ahead. Lastly, it’s a chance to celebrate the amazing successes and contributions this team has brought to the community over the past four decades.

Statements released from current and previous EMS Agency Directors and Medical Directors:

Nancy Lapolla (EMS Agency Directors 1998-2014): “It was an honor to be part of Santa Barbara County’s EMS system, build systems of care and work with such dedicated EMS professionals focused on improving emergency medical services”.

John Eaglesham (EMS Agency Directors 2014-2017): “Being part of the Public Health Department was the culmination of many years of involvement in the EMS system. I truly enjoyed the opportunity to work with such smart and capable people”.

Nick Clay (EMS Agency Directors 2017- Present): “Serving in this role has allowed me to lead a highly capable team to ensure the community is receiving the highest level of EMS care available and find new ways to serve our community. It is humbling to work with such a dedicated team both internally and with our partners.”

Angelo Salvucci, MD (EMS Agency Medical Director 1990-2020): “EMS is foremost the practice of medicine, and I’m gratified to have been part of our system that, by keeping that in focus, has made tremendous advances in the care of our patients.”

Daniel Shepherd, MD (EMS Agency Medical Director 2020-Present): “EMS was born out of necessity. It is now a necessary part of our healthcare system. The providers of EMS in Santa Barbara are skilled professionals delivering high quality care.”

The EMS Agency is responsible for the oversight and medical direction of the County’s EMS system. The Agency establishes and oversees the framework of the response from the moment a 9-1-1 call becomes a medical emergency to the level of care patients receive and the hospitals they are directed to, and the specialty care within the hospitals.

The Agency also plays a vital role in supporting the County’s health infrastructure during disasters, including the management of the Medical Reserve Corps, a group of dedicated volunteer medical professionals.