MECHANICSBURG – This fall will mark the 40th year of service for the Mechanicsburg Emergency Medical Services. Prior to December of 1977 if an ambulance was needed in the Mechanicsburg area to transport the acutely ill or injured, the residents of the Mechanicsburg area had to rely on a local funeral home hearse/ambulance to provide the means of transportation. With the birth of modern day EMS taking place in the mid to late 1970s, local Champaign County communities would take the necessary initiatives to organize and train community volunteers to staff an “emergency medical service” to fulfill a need that was so vital to the public.
Some of the original founding members, along with other early members, gathered Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Mechanicsburg High School cafeteria to commemorate this anniversary. The group held a potluck dinner and spent the evening reminiscing about the experiences they shared while serving as EMS providers for the Mechanicsburg community. There were several artifacts on display, including photo albums, scrapbooks, department uniforms, and equipment used during the early years of EMS. The group also had the opportunity to view the current in-service vehicle along with the accompanying newer equipment carried on board.
The field of “emergency medical service” has evolved to become a highly technical and highly demanding field of public service that has continued to progress into a vital part of an ever-changing health care industry.
