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2911 East College Way, Suite C
Mount Vernon, WA 98273-8909		 Phone: (360) 428-3230
Fax: (360) 428-3235

Ambulance Service

Emergency Response

Skagit County Medic One not only supports Basic Life Support training to Fire Departments, but also ensures that Advanced Life Support care is available to Skagit County citizens by using the Medic One levy funds.  Advanced Life Support care usually comes in the form of a paramedic in an ambulance.  This means that a paramedic can provide advanced life saving health care services outside of the hospital, including provision of medications and invasive procedures, bringing an extension of the Emergency Room directly to the patient.

Skagit County Medic One contracts with Central Skagit Medic One, Anacortes Fire Department and Aero-Skagit Emergency Services, Inc. in Concrete to provide Advanced Life Support Emergency Ambulance Response to their areas. Skagit County Medic One also cooperates with Mount Vernon Fire Department, who provides Advanced Life Support via their fire engines.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), who provide Basic Life Support care, also fill an important role in the system, by responding early on scene with Fire Departments, providing back-up response to Advanced Life Support Ambulances with Basic Life Support Ambulances and/or being an extra set of trained hands on-scene for the paramedic.

Inter-facility Transfers

Central Skagit Medic One not only provides Emergency Response to the citizens of Skagit County, but also ensures that each patient’s medical transport needs are met after they reach the hospital.  Central Skagit Medic One often provides patient transfers between medical facilities and even out of county, as resources allow.  EMTs and Paramedics provide this service caringly, according to the medical needs as prescribed by a physician.

Statistics

Skagit County Medic One continually monitors and re-evaluates its response procedures to provide the highest level of care in the fastest time possible. We daily strive to exceed the accepted norms for our industry.

Skagit County Medic One’s current standard for Advanced Life Support Ambulance Response Time is as such;  at the 90th percentile, time from the moment of dispatch until the provider’s ambulance comes to a complete stop at the scene should not exceed:

  • 8 minutes in urban areas and within the incorporated cities
  • 15 minutes in suburban areas
  • 30 minutes in rural areas
  • 90 minutes in wilderness areas.

The various population densities described in this Response Time standard are defined according to the Skagit County EMS Commission’s Population Density Map, which interprets the most recently available census data according to Washington State regulation.