Altavista EMS provides 24-hour emergency medical services to Southwestern Campbell County including the incorporated Town of Altavista, a vast section of Northern Pittsylvania County including the incorporated Town of Hurt, and the Lynch Station/Leesville community of Bedford County. The agency has 39 volunteer EMS Providers comprised of a mixture of both basic life support and advanced life support providers. The agency also employees (4) career support EMS Providers and a staff of (2) administrative personnel. A chief administrative officer (President) and a chief operational officer (Captain) as well as several other officers manage Altavista EMS. A nine member Board of Directors provides for total oversight of the agency’s fiscal management.
The Virginia Department of Health Office of Emergency Medical Services licenses Altavista EMS to provide emergency medical services. Medical direction is provided for by a progressive set of standing treatment protocols dictated by the Regional Operational Medical Director, Dr. Ken Palys and the Agency Operational Medical Director, Dr. Michael Dunlop. Blue Ridge Emergency Medical Services acts as the regional council between Altavista EMS, Virginia Department of Health Office of EMS, and the regional health care organization, Centra Health.
The primary headquarters for Altavista EMS is located at 1510 Main Street in the Town of Altavista. The primary station houses (4) ambulances, (1) crash truck, (1) rapid response vehicle, (2) multi-use 4-wheel drive vehicles, and (2) boats. Altavista EMS also houses (1) additional ambulance at the Hurt Fire Department located at 203 School Street in the neighboring Town of Hurt.
Altavista EMS is funded by a variety of financial sources. Sources include donations from private donors and governmental contributions from the localities of the County of Campbell, the County of Pittsylvania, the Town of Altavista, and the Town of Hurt. Additionally, an auxiliary staff of volunteers operates a thrift store dedicated solely to the raising of operational funds for Altavista EMS. The thrift store is located in the Town of Altavista at 705 7th Street.
Emergency Medical Services within the Town of Altavista are further enhanced by the integration of services provided by the Altavista Police Department and the Altavista Fire Department. Standing dispatch protocols dictate that in instances of patients reported to have difficulty breathing, chest pains, or believed to be unconscious that an Altavista Police unit equipped with an automatic external defibrillator (AED) will be dispatched to the scene simultaneous to paging for Altavista EMS to respond. In similar instances and in events of severe injuries, First Responders from the Altavista Fire Department are also dispatched simultaneous to paging for Altavista EMS to respond within the Town of Altavista and the portion of the County of Campbell served by Altavista EMS. The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office also provides AED units within the County of Campbell in the same instances as those described for response by Altavista Police Department within the Town of Altavista. The combined efforts of these departments lead to a total continuum of care for ill and injured patients by the local public safety agencies up to transfer of care to Emergency Room staff.
In addition to these resources, the communities serviced by Altavista EMS are also serviced by a med-flight helicopter operated by Virginia State Police and staffed with medical personnel provided by Centra Health. Altavista EMS utilizes this resource primarily for patients suffering from severe traumatic injuries. The med-flight service is utilized totally at the discretion of the Altavista EMS attendant in charge and further depends on its availability at the time of request by Altavista EMS.
Altavista EMS averages nearly 2,500 emergency responses annually. Also more than 130,000 miles are logged annually by Altavista EMS responding to emergencies and transporting ill and injured patients.