Kalamazoo County EMS System
The Kalamazoo County EMS system is a high-performance single
tier ALS system with countywide BLS first responders. Serving a population of
approximately 250,000, the EMS system is made up of four ambulance services
covering designated areas of the county and sixteen first responder agencies
provided through fire and public safety agencies. The Kalamazoo County Medical
Control Authority (KCMCA) is the agency responsible for coordinating and
overseeing the EMS system and is physically housed within WMed Emergency
Medicine. This partnership allows for
very close interaction between residents, faculty and the EMS system's staff.
Through the hard work and dedication of our EMS personnel and a highly
effective EMS system design, cardiac arrest survival in Kalamazoo County is
among the highest in the nation.
The Medical Director
Dr. William Fales, MD, FACEP serves as EMS Medical Director for Kalamazoo County and is also a core faculty member within the residency. Dr. Fales additionally serves as the Medical Director for EMS & Trauma for the State of Michigan. He also serves as Medical Advisor to the Michigan State Police Emergency Support (Tactical) Team, Bomb Squad, and Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division. Active at both the state and national levels, he serves as faculty for the National EMS Medical Directors Course. Residents with a high level of interest in EMS use Dr. Fales as a mentor during residency and as a resource after graduation. A former paramedic and firefighter, Dr. Fales frequently responds to EMS incidents throughout the county.
EMS Clinical Coordinator
Mike is the new EMS Clinical Coordinator for the Kalamazoo County Medical Control Authority. He brings over 20 years of experience in the EMS industry, most recently serving as a CCEMTP and Field Training/Instructor for LifeCare Ambulance in Battle Creek, MI. Mike is an EMS Instructor/Coordinator and has been part of the faculty at Kalamazoo Valley Community College for 10 years. His current duties at KVCC include Lead Instructor for the Medical First Responder Program and Clinical Coordinator for the Paramedic Program.
