Emergency Medical Services (EMS) 

Merced Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division is dedicated to providing out-of-hospital medical care to patients suffering from illness or injuries. Merced Fire Department's EMS system includes 9-1-1 Dispatchers, First Responders, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT's), and Paramedics. In the City of Merced, the Fire Department is responsible for providing EMS services to the community. The Merced Fire Department is equipped with the training, personnel and tools necessary to respond timely to any emergency.

Paramedics and EMT's are trained to recognize and treat life-threatening conditions, such as heart attack and stroke. Quick and accurate medical decision-making by Merced's EMT's and Paramedics is vital to patient safety and definitive hospital treatment. EMS also strives to maintain the health and safety of the community through public safety services, such as community education, including CPR and First-Aid.

The Merced Fire Department has been responding to accidents and medical emergencies for decades. Many people think that firefighters spent most of their time putting out fires, while in reality most of the emergency calls are for medical emergencies.

When a heart stops, or a serious injury occurs, seconds count. Given Merced Fire Department's network of five strategically located fire stations, the same response time advantage that exists for fires also exists for medical emergencies. While our local ambulance partner "Riggs Ambulance" also responds to these calls, fire units can frequently get to the scene first, providing critical care and "stopping the clock".