Mission Statement

As the principal provider of emergency medical services for the County of Durham, Durham County EMS will respond to requests for service, via the 911 system and other routes, in a manner that is safe, clinically appropriate, customer oriented, fiscally sound, and employee-friendly.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to provide world-class EMS to the County of Durham.  This includes both the provision of traditional ambulance response to 9-1-1 requests for service, and in expanded roles supporting special events, supporting allied public safety agencies, and delivering integrated, mobile health care and mental health support services throughout our community.  Consistent with our legislated mandate, we will develop and operate a county-wide EMS system that delivers top quality service to all who request our assistance.

We will strive to be at the forefront of clinical and operational developments in our business, serving as excellent partners with our community’s medical and public safety providers and agencies.  We will become a leader in all-hazard emergency preparedness; we will enhance our workforce’s and our community's ability to be resilient when confronted by man-made and natural disasters. We will be viewed as a challenging, diverse, and rewarding place to work, developing our personnel as clinicians and leaders in our local, regional, state and national EMS communities.

 Our Core Values

• Safety - The safety of our personnel and those with whom we work is of paramount importance.  We recognize that unsafe practices are barriers to accomplishing our mission and our vision.  We will thoughtfully balance the risks that we take against the benefits of our actions.
• People - Our people are our greatest asset. The knowledge, experience, and compassionate nature of our employees make our service exceptional. Our workforce includes skilled professionals from different backgrounds and cultures, reflecting the diversity of the communities we proudly serve.
• Patient Centered - The health and well-being of the patient is always our first priority. We are professionals who treat every patient with respect and compassion.  We will make our decisions with the interests of our patient as our foremost consideration.
• Clinical Excellence -The members of Durham County EMS are highly skilled and specially trained to provide state of the art pre-hospital emergency medical services. We provide every patient with excellent clinical care.
• Leadership & Innovation - As a leader in the field of pre-hospital emergency medicine, we pride ourselves on innovating and leveraging the latest advances in both medicine and technology, bringing cutting edge care to the streets of Durham County.  We will develop excellent followership and excellent leadership in our people, and we will hold our leaders accountable for their performance.
• Collaboration - We strive to work effectively with our public safety and public health partners to solve problems, make decisions, and achieve common goals.  We will be “their paramedics” while they are “our” law enforcement officers, firefighters, public health providers, and mental health/crisis care specialists.
• Pride & Unity - We are proud of the work we do and the strength of our service. We are committed to one another and the patients we serve.
• Preparedness - We will be a leader in the field of emergency preparedness and take an active role in planning, training, response, and recovery efforts to mitigate the medical consequences of disasters. We maintain the highest level of organizational and individual preparedness.