Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical was established in 1996 following the merger of Douglas County Ambulance Service and the Lawrence Fire Department. Since then, we have provided high-quality, pre-hospital emergency patient care and transportation services to our community.
As the sole provider of advanced life support (ALS) ambulance transportation in Douglas County, including the City of Lawrence, our goal is to arrive on scene within six minutes or less at least 80% of the time. To meet this standard, we staff seven medic units 24/7/365, each crewed by one EMT-Intermediate and one Paramedic (Kansas MICT).
Paramedic Training
To become a paramedic, Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical firefighters must apply and, if selected, complete a year-long training program. Students currently attend Kansas City Kansas Community College or Johnson County Community College.
After graduation, candidates test with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians to earn their Paramedic certification and then apply for a Kansas Mobile Intensive Care Technician – Paramedic license.
Following licensure, new paramedics enter our EMS Mentoring Program, where they receive hands-on evaluation of department-specific protocols, equipment use, and operational policies. Final approval to serve comes after meeting with our department Medical Director.
Treatment Protocols
Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Treatment Protocols are the official standards our providers follow when delivering patient care.
These documents are now available for download and reference below.
To make navigation easier, protocols are organized into four sections:
Appendices
- Acronym Glossary
- AutoPulse Troubleshooting
- Bert Nash Mobile Response Activation
- Douglas County Hostile Event Plan
- General Considerations
- Local Scope of Practice
- Major Change Log
- MARCER Mass Casualty Plan
- Minor Change Log
- Nursing Facility Access Information
Formulary
- Formulary
- Activated Charcoal
- Adenosine
- Albuterol Sulfate
- Amiodarone
- Ammonia Caps
- Aspirin
- Atropine Sulfate
- Calcium Chloride
- Dextrose
- Diphenhydramine
- Dopamine
- Drip Information
- Epinephrine
- Fentanyl Citrate
- Glucagon
- Hydroxocobalamin
- Ipratropium Bromide
- Ketamine
- Lidocaine
- Magnesium Sulfate
- Methlyprednisolone
- Midazolam
- Morphine Sulfate
- Naloxone
- Nitroglycerin
- Ondansetron
- Oxygen
- Oxytocin
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Sodium Chloride
- Tetracaine
- Tranexamic Acid (TXA)
- Transfer Medications
Procedures
- 12 Lead EKG
- AutoPulse
- Blood Glucose
- BVM Ventilation
- Chest Seal
- Confirmation of ET Tube Placement
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
- Cricothyroidotomy
- Cyanokit
- Endotracheal Intubation
- End Tidal CO2
- External Jugular IV
- Generalized Splinting
- i-gel
- Intranasal (IN) Medication Administration
- Intraosseous Infusion
- Magill’s Forceps
- Medication Administration
- Needle Cricothyroidotomy
- Needle Thoracostomy
- Pulse Oximetry
- Rapid Bedside Glucose
- Refusal of Care
- ResQPOD ITD
- Restraints
- Sager Splint
- Spinal Motion Restriction
- Synchronized Cardioversion
- Tourniquet
- Transcutaneous Pacing
- Vascular Access
- Wound Packing
- Z-Vent
Protocols
- Abdominal Pain
- Acute Eye Injury
- Altered Mental Status
- Anaphylaxis and Allergic Reaction
- Behavior Disorder
- Breathing Difficulty
- Burns
- Carbon Monoxide, Smoke Inhalation, and Cyanide Poisoning
- Cardiac Arrest (CAPE)
- Childbirth
- Chest Pain
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Criteria of Death and Withholding Resuscitation
- Crush Syndrome
- CVA / TIA
- Diabetic Emergencies
- Drug Overdoses and Poisonings
- Drowning
- Dysrhythmias
- Environmental Emergencies
- General Medical
- General Trauma
- Hemorrhage Control
- Hospital Routing and Air Ambulance
- Interfacility Transfers
- Mass Casualty
- Neonatal Care and Resuscitation
- Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergencies
- Pain & Anxiety Management
- Patient Restraint
- Seizure
- Sepsis
- Shock
- Spinal Care
- Syncope