The City of Mt. Juliet went live with their Emergency Medical Services transport on Monday, March 13, 2023.
Creating the city’s own ambulance division was introduced and unanimously approved for the 2022-23 budget by the Mt. Juliet Board of Commissioners, Mayor James Maness, Vice Mayor and District 2 Commissioner Bill Trivett, District 1 Commissioner Ray Justice, District 3 Commissioner Scott Hefner, and District 4 Commissioner Jennifer Milele. City Commissioners allocated $1.8 million towards this endeavor.
“Today represents a momentous milestone in our unwavering dedication to serving and safeguarding our community,” Mayor James Maness said. “The introduction of our emergency medical service is a testament to our steadfast commitment to fulfilling our promises to the citizens of Mt. Juliet by delivering exceptional medical care and unparalleled customer service. We are proud to take this important step towards further enhancing the safety and well-being of our community.”
Eric Newman will serve as the city’s Chief of Emergency Medical Services under Interim Fire Chief Joey Edwards. Fire Department of Mt. Juliet will continue to respond to calls in the unincorporated areas of Mt. Juliet for EMS transport if needed and will continue to work in partnership with Wilson County Emergency Management Agency. Wilson County 911 will continue to provide direct dispatch of the fire and EMS units.
“Our department has added another needed service that will provide additional resources for emergency medical services in the Mt. Juliet community,” Interim Fire Chief Joey Edwards said. “We are excited about this endeavor and the great impact it will have on the citizens and visitors of Mt. Juliet and surrounding areas. My appreciation goes to our elected officials and city leaders for supporting the fire department along with our responders and partners at Wilson County Emergency Management Agency who continue to answer the calls for service. It takes everyone filling their role and doing their job to benefit the people we serve. We look forward to any challenges ahead.”
Three ambulances make up the new fleet within the EMS division. The fire department is made up of five administrative personnel and 66 operational personnel. The past nine months have been spent working around the clock to establish medical direction and infrastructure for the Advanced Life Support Service (ALS). This includes upgrading all engines to ALS First-Response.
“The Mt. Juliet Fire Department has spent numerous hours recruiting, hiring, and training team members to provide high-quality advanced life support for the citizens and visitors of our great City in unison with our WEMA partners,” EMS Chief Eric Newman said. “This new addition to our department provides benefits of quicker access to emergency medical care and transport. Our goal is to become a premier service in Tennessee through quality improvement and evidence-based emergency medical practices.”
