Responsibilities

Mission Statement: It is the Mission of Charleston County EMS to provide quality emergency medical care and cooperatively improve response to health needs within our community.

Emergency Medical Services Logo

Charleston County Emergency Medical Services (CCEMS) is a department under the directorate of Charleston County Public Safety. We are a third service 9-1-1 response agency who provides medical care and transportation to hospital emergency departments for citizens and visitors to Charleston County. We are a progressive department with focus on quality patient care and being innovative in the way we deliver that care.

We utilize six branches within our department to meet the needs of our customers.

  • Operations
  • Logistics
  • Training
  • Safety
  • Recruitment and Outreach
  • Administration

Contact

Emergency Medical Services

Lonnie Hamilton, III, Public Service Building

4045 Bridge View Dr., N. Charleston, SC 29405

Suite C-204

For All Emergencies DIAL 911

We do not provide routine convalescent transportation, such as taking people home from the hospital or to clinics or private doctor's offices.

Phone: (843) 202-6700

Fax: (843) 202-6712

Office Hours: M – F | 8:30AM – 5PM

Billing Inquiries

Digitech Address

P.O. Box 100112, Columbia, SC 29202-3112

Digitech Phone

Phone: (843) 292-0575

History

In 1973, a group of concerned citizens, local physicians and members of Charleston County Government, created EMS. Prior to this time, emergency medical care was provided by two private ambulance services and some police "crash wagons." One of the first countywide emergency medical service systems in the state, Charleston County EMS provides access to advanced levels of emergency medical care regardless of the emergency's location or the patient's ability to pay.

Awards

CCEMS has received numerous awards since our inception, some of them are:

Year
Award
2019
American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Gold Plus Award
2018
Public Information, Education, and Relations (PIER) Award SCAC J. Mitchell Graham Award American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Gold Plus Award
2017
Leaders Innovating Telehealth Award American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Gold Plus Award
2016
American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Gold Award
2015
American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Gold Award
2014
American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Silver Award
2010
National EMS System of the Year

Interesting Facts

Charleston County EMS responds to over 60,000 calls for service in a year.

Charleston County EMS employs more than 200 people.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Answer:There are several different certification levels of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT).

The initial training is that of an EMT Basic which requires around 200 hours of training before testing for national certification. An EMT Advanced performs more technical functions than an EMT Basic, but not as many as a Paramedic performs. EMT Paramedics are the highest level of training and are able to perform more technical functions; they have more than 1,100 hours of training.

A paramedic is a person who usually works outside the hospital to provide initial medical treatment in the event of illness or injury. Paramedics work with many other professionals, such as firefighters, rescue, police, nurses, doctors and others, in order to provide treatment and stabilization to those in crisis. The paramedic is usually an extension of the doctor's knowledge and skill. This means that the paramedic carries out examinations and treatments when a doctor is not available. There must be a high level of trust between the paramedic and the doctor.

Answer:In order to provide optimal response times, ambulances in Charleston County are strategically positioned to various locations.

Answer:No.

However, County emergency agencies have access to and use of various private helicopter services. Through a cooperative effort, the emergency service agencies in the County have designated scores of suitable helicopter landing sites ranging from large intersections to baseball fields.

Answer:Taxes pay for the staffing, vehicles and stations required to provide Emergency Medical Services.

User fees help offset the costs of specific equipment and supplies associated with each ambulance call. If you fail to pay your user fee, EMS may collect the fee from your state tax refund using a debt set off program.