Episode 217, Austin Heat and Water Safety

The City of Austin's Emergency Medical Services Department provides 9-1-1 emergency medical response to the citizens of Austin and Travis County serving a population of over 2.2M citizens in a service region of over 1,039 square miles. While most of the assistance we give to the community is medical in nature, the smallest part of what we do involves truly time-critical life-threatening emergencies. Yet everything we do is about service: service to our patients, their families and loved ones; service to our community; and service to the people who make up Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Service is more than simply responding to calls. It is evaluating what we do so that we can improve our performance and meet new needs as they become apparent. Service is working with our community to help people better care for themselves and each other. It is taking care of our own people, so they are better able to serve their patients and the community. Through this service, we have the opportunity to save the lives of some, and change the lives of many.