MISSION

The mission of Pickens County EMS is:

• to respond to the pre-hospital medical needs of the citizens and visitors of Pickens
  County with highly trained, compassionate Emergency Medical Technicians and
  Paramedics,
• to deliver prompt, efficient, and appropriate care during emergency and non-emergency
  situations,
• to assist in the education of the citizens about EMS and what they can do in case of
  an emergency,
• to be of assistance to the citizens of Pickens County in all areas of pre-hospital care
  and the prevention of illnesses/injuries.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What type of services do you offer?

A: Pickens County EMS is a licensed Advanced Life Support service. We respond to all calls
within the county, including 911 response and non-emergency. We also provide inter-facility
transports from one hospital to another if your physician decides you need services not
available at the initial location.

Q: Do you charge for these services?

A: Yes, even though we are a county department that operates with tax dollars, there is a user
fee that is imposed each time an ambulance is used. These fees are set by County Council
and are reviewed and updated regularly.

Q: How much does ambulance service cost?

A: The cost depends on the level of service. These levels depend on the patient's needs and
what procedures are performed.

Q: How are the ambulances staffed?

A: Each ambulance is staffed with at least 1 Paramedic and 1 Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT) or Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate (EMT-I). Each technician is
trained and certified through guidelines set by the Department of Health of Environmental
Control-EMS division (DHEC-EMS).

Q: How can I become an Emergency Medical Technician?

A: The first step is to attain a High School diploma or GED. The Basic EMT course is offered
at local technical schools or at Upstate EMS Council in Greenville. The Basic EMT course is
approximately six months in duration, depending on the number of days per week the class
meets. After attaining the Basic EMT certification, the candidate must be affiliated with a
licensed service in South Carolina to upgrade to one of the next levels (EMT-Intermediate or
Paramedic). The EMT-Intermediate curriculum is approximately 3-4 months depending on
class dates and the Paramedic curriculum an additional (up to) two years. The candidate may
choose to obtain an Associate's Degree in Emergency Medical Technology. This degree can
be obtained only through Greenville Tec at this time.

Q: Where are the EMS stations located in the county?

A: There are 8 substations throughout Pickens County. Each station houses one Advanced Life Support emergency ambulance with at least one Paramedic on board.
 

The two non-emergency units are also located in the Pickens stations Monday through Friday
(8-5).

Q: Who do I call if I have a question about my bill?

A: Low Country Billing is the billing agent for Pickens County EMS (for all calls since January
1, 2009). The phone number is 1-800-533-3915 if you have a billing question. (For calls
BEFORE January 1st, 2009, contact Colleton Software Associates at 1-800-874-3617.)

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions not related to billing?

A: The main office is located at 1509 Walhalla Hwy. The number is 898-5945.

Q: Which hospitals do you transport patients to?

A: We normally transport patients to their hospital of choice unless there is an underlying
reason to go to another hospital. Trauma patients (that fall into certain criteria) are transported
directly to a Trauma Center. In certain circumstances, we may fly the patient by helicopter to
the Trauma Center. The helicopter transportation is billed separately from the ambulance bill.
We routinely transport to Cannon Memorial Hospital, Palmetto Health Baptist-Easley,
Greenville Memorial Hospital, St. Francis-Eastside (downtown), St. Francis-Women's, AnMed
Health, and Oconee Medical Center. Normally, we would transport to the hospital where your
family physician is located, and practices. In some instances (if your condition warrants), we
will transport to the closest facility.

Q: Do you bill Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance companies?

A: Yes, we will bill the insurance provider that you provide us at the time of your
transportation. Medicare, Medicaid, or your private insurance will decide whether or not your
transportation is covered under your policy. They may or may not pay your bill for you. That
decision is theirs, based on your coverage.