“The emergency medical system has traditionally been a neglected component of the health care field. However, considerable attention has been focused on it as our potential to deliver more adequate life support has increased. The idea of providing paramedic services for Lycoming County began with the inception of the emergency medical services council of Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties as part of their long range plan. Prior to the endorsement of the initial plan submitted by the Williamsport Hospital, many hours of E.M.S. staff time were spent examining the total emergency medical services picture in Lycoming County. As part of that total picture, a Basic Life Support response second to none was both developed and upgraded. Many have been instrumental in arriving at this point in time, where we can offer the Council a plan which will provide Lycoming County with a method of providing medical care to the patient prior to his arrival at the area hospital emergency rooms. It will continue to take a team effort to further develop, implement, and administer this plan.”
– Original proposal titled “The Paramedic (Advanced Life Support) System for Lycoming County” submitted by the Williamsport Hospital on July 19, 1979
The History of Advanced Life Support and Susquehanna Regional EMS in Lycoming County
The development of advanced prehospital care in Lycoming County began in early 1977, when the Lycoming County EMS Council and Williamsport Hospital partnered to establish the county’s first paramedic program. Countless hours were spent researching successful ALS systems and training programs across the country. Dr. Earl Miller was the leading visionary behind this effort, driving the initiative to bring Advanced Life Support (ALS) to the region.
On February 2, 1979, the first Paramedic Training Program in Lycoming County officially began. The program included 600 hours of classroom instruction and 300 hours of clinical training. It became the third paramedic training institute in the nation to earn accreditation from the American Medical Association (AMA).
The introduction of ALS, however, was not without opposition. Three of the four area hospitals—Divine Providence, Jersey Shore, and Muncy Valley—voted against its implementation, favoring a volunteer-based system. They argued that the “expensive” ALS model would be financially unsustainable, predicting patient costs of $80–$100 per call.
Despite this resistance, Williamsport Hospital moved forward, providing both training and medical command for the new paramedics. The Williamsport Sun-Gazette captured the sentiment of the time:
“Taking a stand against the paramedic program would be like taking a stand against motherhood.”
On July 16, 1979, history was made when Medic 1, staffed by two paramedics, began delivering Advanced Life Support services, marking the beginning of ALS care in Lycoming County.
Growth and Change in the 1980s
By December 1984, Williamsport Hospital assumed ambulance responsibilities within the city of Williamsport, taking over from the Williamsport Bureau of Fire. Despite protests from the Fire Union, the hospital launched a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (Ambulance 1)—staffed by a paramedic, prehospital nurse, and students—and continued operating Medic 1 with a similar configuration.
In 1986, the Williamsport Area Ambulance Service Cooperative (WAASC) was formed to meet growing transport demands. This groundbreaking partnership between First Ward (now South Williamsport), Old Lycoming, and Duboistown Fire Companies and Williamsport Hospital created the first not-for-profit EMS cooperative in Pennsylvania, and the first successful EMS cooperative in the United States.
A hospital-based ambulance was assigned to scheduled daytime transfers (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), while volunteer fire companies managed interfacility transports, receiving reimbursement from the hospital. This collaboration significantly improved patient transfer efficiency and strengthened community EMS resources.
By 1988, Williamsport Hospital began contracting paramedic staffing to Loyalsock Volunteer Fire Company’s MICU 18, while Divine Providence Hospital launched its own prehospital program, Medic 2.
In 1989, Williamsport Hospital restructured its paramedic operations, splitting the two-person Medic 1 team into two single-paramedic units: Medic 91 at Old Lycoming and Medic 1-91 at South Williamsport Fire Department.
The 1990s: Consolidation and System Expansion
As EMS call volumes continued to rise, a second ambulance was added in 1992, Ambulance 91, staffed by two EMTs to handle emergency and interfacility transport calls.
In 1995, Williamsport Hospital, Divine Providence Hospital, and Muncy Valley Hospital merged to form Susquehanna Health, consolidating services to improve efficiency. The Prehospital Department became one of the first to unify operations across all three campuses.
By early 1995, the system included:
- MICU 91 – Williamsport Hospital
- Medic 91 – Old Lycoming
- Medic 1-91 – South Williamsport
- MICU 18 – Loyalsock Volunteer Fire Company
- Medic 2-91 – Muncy
- Ambulance 91 – Divine Providence Hospital
- Platoon Chief positions established
2000s: Strategic Growth and the Formation of Susquehanna Regional EMS
In 2002, the WAASC Board of Directors recognized the changing landscape of EMS and initiated a strategic planning process. That same year, the Williamsport Hospital Paramedic Training Institute transitioned to Pennsylvania College of Technology, which began offering associate degrees in paramedicine, continuing the region’s strong legacy of EMS education.
By 2005, the strategic plan was finalized, and discussions began with the Williamsport Bureau of Fire and Loyalsock Fire Department. Following approval, detailed operational plans were shared with county fire departments, Department of Public Safety, the 911 Center, and county commissioners.
In 2006, the three founding fire companies formally approved the operational plan, setting the stage for a new era of regional cooperation.
On June 24, 2007, Susquehanna Regional EMS (SREMS) officially launched, operating with the following configuration:
- MICU 91 – Old Lycoming
- MICU 1-91 – South Williamsport
- MICU 2-91 – Divine Providence Hospital
- Medic 1-91 – Willing Hand Hose Company, Montoursville
- Medic 2-91 – Muncy
- Platoon Chief – Williamsport Hospital
Expansion and Integration into UPMC
In 2012, Laurel Health System, which included Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Wellsboro, became part of the Susquehanna Health System. With this integration, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial ALS—a hospital-based ALS service founded in 1984—joined Susquehanna Health but initially operated independently from SREMS. In 2016, Soldiers and Sailors ALS staff began reporting through the SREMS Director of Prehospital Services, marking the start of closer operational alignment.
On October 18, 2016, Susquehanna Health officially became part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), rebranding as UPMC Susquehanna. This partnership aimed to expand access to healthcare and enhance quality of care throughout the region.
One year later, on October 2, 2017, Lock Haven Hospital and Sunbury Hospital joined the UPMC Susquehanna region. Less than a year and a half later, on March 1, 2018, Cole Memorial in Coudersport also joined, forming what is now known as the UPMC North Central Pennsylvania (NCPA) Region.
By 2019, ongoing challenges with timely rural patient transport led to the establishment of a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at UPMC Cole, initially staffed 12 hours per day, seven days a week, to manage interfacility transfers more efficiently.
On August 1, 2024, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial ALS was officially integrated into SREMS, uniting all operations under a single EMS department for the UPMC North Central Pennsylvania Region. This merger expanded SREMS’s primary ALS coverage area to approximately 300 square miles—roughly equivalent to the combined size of Rhode Island and Delaware.
To support this expansion, staffing was restructured to include two MICU crews and a Paramedic Supervisor dedicated to Tioga County operations. Additional personnel were also added at UPMC Cole, allowing for BLS staffing during overnight hours to support transport operations.
Today
The current Susquehanna Regional EMS (SREMS) system operates as follows:
- MICU 91 – Old Lycoming Volunteer Fire Company
- MICU 1-91 – South Williamsport Fire Department
- MICU 2-91 – UPMC Williamsport
- Medic 1-91 – Willing Hand Hose Company, Montoursville
- Medic 2-91 – Muncy
- Medic 3-91 – UPMC Williamsport
- Medic 1 – UPMC Wellsboro
- Medic 2 – UPMC Wellsboro
- Medic 5 – UPMC Cole
- Ambulance 41 – UPMC Williamsport
- Ambulance 1-41 – UPMC Williamsport
- Ambulance 2-41 – UPMC Williamsport
- Ambulance 3-41 – UPMC Williamsport
- Platoon Chief 91 – UPMC Williamsport & UPMC Wellsboro
Achievements and Recognitions
Over the years, SREMS and its personnel have received numerous awards and honors at both regional and state levels, including:
- Paramedic of the Year
- EMT of the Year
- EMS Instructor of the Year
- Rescue Technician of the Year
- Joe E. Grottenthaler Award
- Physician of the Year
- John Pryor Street Medicine Award
- Robert D. Aranosian, DO, FACOEP Excellence in EMS Award
- 2024 Pennsylvania EMS Agency of the Year (Large Agency Division)
- 2025 NAEMT Dick Ferneau Career Service of the Year