On February 1, 2005, Mecklenburg EMS Agency celebrates an important milestone. For 100 consecutive months Medic has exceeded the response time goals set by our community leaders. Such high quality, consistent and longstanding performance is unsurpassed by any other prehospital system in the world.

"This is an incredible tribute to the 325 men and women at Medic who commit themselves to helping people every day," said Joe Penner. "These extraordinary professionals overcome significant changes in our community and continue to offer the highest quality emergency medical care to people who need it."

In the past eight years the population of Mecklenburg County has increased to more than 716,000. The number of people asking for emergency medical services has doubled to more than 83,000 calls expected this year. Traffic and strained road systems almost always stand between paramedic teams and their patients. Yet, despite it all, Medic continues to improve response times and deliver exceptional prehospital medical care to those who need it.

Medic is part of a unique partnership between Mecklenburg County, Carolinas Healthcare System and Presbyterian Healthcare. It is the only emergency services organization in the area to function under a performance-based contract and the only one to operate at an unparalleled level of public accountability. In the operating agreement, Mecklenburg County defines its expectations of the EMS system including stringent response time criteria (90% of all life threatening emergencies in 10 minutes 59 seconds or less, 90% of all non-life threatening emergencies in 12 minutes 59 seconds or less), quality assurance measures and extensive clinical oversight from the local medical community. Since 1997 Medic has greatly enhanced performance, reduced response times and reduced the taxpayer subsidy per call by half.

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