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Grand County EMS gets critical

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When the local 911 system is activated and the patient turns out to need a high level of critical care, that patient often flies to Denver in a helicopter. This process works great during the short Grand County summers, but most of the year Grand County experiences tumultuous weather patterns making it impossible for Critical Care helicopters to fly.

Grand County EMS recognized this situation years ago and began training their paramedics to the Critical Care Level. This allows for extremely ill patients to receive the highest level of care possible while being transported to Denver in snowstorms, whiteouts and turbulent weather.

Recently Mark Buss and Chris Cruz, two paramedics with Grand County EMS, returned from Critical Care Paramedic School in Augusta, Ga. The two medics were members of an elite class of just over 30 from around the country attending the Medical College of Georgia’s Critical Care Class.



The two week intensive class included clinical rotations at The Medical Centers Shock Trauma Unit as well as with their Critical Care Flight program. Mark has practiced as a paramedic with Grand County for 6 years and is also a member of the Grand County EMS Mountain Medical Response Team, a program for medics who are interested in back country rescue.

Chris joined the Grand County EMS system in June of 2009 and has been a valuable assent, strengthening the Advance Life Support services provided in our county. These two outstanding Paramedics will now bring their advanced training home to Grand County where they will enhance the care provided to all of the patients they encounter.



With the advanced addition of Mark and Chris, Grand County EMS now has 8 Critical Care trained paramedics. This training far exceeds the state and national standards for paramedic training and provides the absolute highest quality of care possible for all the residents and visitors to Grand County.


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