History

First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon was Chartered on March 28, 1938 by the dedicated volunteers of the Lebanon City Fire Department. Originally organized to provide first aid care to the city firefighters, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon quickly grew to caring for the community. As the local Hospital based ambulance services became taxed beyond their resources, they relied on the men and women volunteers of First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon. In 1941, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon purchased their first new ambulance. Purchased for just over $3,000, the new ambulance declared the commitment to the community that still exists today.  

Into the next few decades, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon became a pioneer in the Emergency Services. In 1986, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon began Lebanon Counties second ambulance to start providing Advanced Life Support paramedic services. Though very costly to establish, once again the community proved to be the priority of the management of this organization. In the early 1990’s First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon became one of the area’s first emergency services to be certified as an Automated External Defibrillator service by the Department of Health. This program has proven to be very successful with early access defibrillation on Basic Life Support units and public stand-by activities. In the late 1990’s, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon became the first International Police Mountain Biking Association (IPMBA) certified bicycle medic program in the tri-county area. Called to duty for stand by’s during parades and large gatherings in the down-town area, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon’s bicycle medics provide quick, efficient response to the residence and transients in the Lebanon Valley. 

In April of 2003, First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon purchased three new heart monitors called the LifePak 12. This heart monitor defibrillator allows the Advanced Life Support providers to perform 12 lead EKG’s in the pre-hospital environment. These 12-lead EKG’s mirror the procedure that is completed by Cardiologists everywhere. These measures can prove to be life saving to the patients for which we care. Other features that are included on these units are Pulse Oximetry, which measures the amount of oxygen in the patient’s blood stream, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring and End Tidal Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitoring. This feature is an opportunity for the prehospital personnel to establish superior patient care over many of today’s finest emergency departments. This feature allows the paramedic to measure the amount of CO2 being exhaled. This also provides the paramedics with a wave form view of the CO2, which in turn allows the paramedic to understand the etiology of the current illness of the patient. 

In 2004 First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon saw the change that the Lebanon Valley had been needing for some sixty (60) years...consolidation.  For most of its life Lebanon has been a city of about 20,000 people.  The city and surrounding communities had, for sixty (60) years been serviced by two (2) fairly large ambulance services.  These services had competed for the same subscription dollars, the same community donations and the same non-emergency transport contracts.  In July 2004 that all ended when The Good Samaritan Hospital made the decision to discontinue providing ambulance service.  There was a lengthy negotiation process leading up to the July 1, 2004 transaction date which produced an acquisition of all Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Medical Transport assets by First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon. 

First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon continues to grow responding to over 20,000 calls for help in the Lebanon Valley in 2005. According to First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon's projections this number will be more than 22,000 in 2006.  First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon continues to be a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon is not funded by any governmental assistance at the local, state or federal level. Funding for First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon’s nearly 5 million dollar budget comes from fee for service, donations and subscriptions.

Daily First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon operates approximately 16 units.  These units range from wheelchair vans, to basic life support units, non-transporting advanced life support units and mobile intensive care units. Routinely First Aid and Safety Patrol of Lebanon will respond to 70 calls per day between its 911 emergency responses and its non-emergency interfacility transfers.