About Southern Virginia EMS

Southern Virginia EMS (SVEMS) was founded in October 1983 by Anthony S. Harbour, Sherri Freeland and Eric Prasse as a nonprofit EMS organization with the mission of supporting EMS services and providing training and education to EMS Practitioners in Virginia. One of the goals of SVEMS was to establish a nonprofit regional EMS agency to provide transportation and emergency care services to the Counties of Franklin, Henry, Patrick and Pittsylvania, Virginia. It was determined in 1985 that the time was not right to establish a nonprofit regional EMS agency as the services were being effectively provided by the volunteer rescue squads in the region and the concept of a nonprofit EMS agency with paid providers was not feasible without taking away from donations to the volunteer rescue squads.  Since its inception, SVEMS has provided education and training to EMS Practitioners in Virginia by conducting training sessions and courses throughout the Commonwealth, including continuing medical education courses for EMS Practitioners, nurses and physicians. At one point, SVEMS traveled to multiple hospital facilities to conduct courses in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) for hospital staff and community healthcare providers.

Funding

Funding for SVEMS consists of donations and program fees from the education and training courses. SVEMS has received grant funding in the past from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services through the EMS Training Funds Program for some of the certification and continuing education programs SVEMS has conducted in Virginia.  Southern Virginia has been a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization since its inception in 1983.  Our GuideStar nonprofit report may be viewed here.

Virginia PHTLS Program Office

SVEMS has supported the Virginia PreHospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Program Office for Virginia since the PHTLS Program Office was established in 1989.  Tactical and trauma education programs are becoming increasingly important for training everyone (general public, first responders, law enforcement officers, and medical professionals) in bleeding control. Violent crimes and terrorist incidents can result in significant traumatic injuries with severe bleeding which can lead to death if immediate action is not taken.

Board of Directors