It’s good news that the La Crosse area now has Emergency Medical Dispatch, and that it seems to have been implemented without problems.

EMD allows for more specific medical information and instruction to be given by dispatchers from Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, who can stay on the line with the patient until first responders and paramedics arrive.
Previously, La Crosse County dispatchers would handle the medical emergency 911 calls, but they could not offer the kind of medical information available under the new system.

Now, the call is transferred to Gundersen Lutheran after the county sends out the emergency aid. Specially-trained dispatchers then provide

medical advice until help arrives.

It’s a positive step because it enhances the care given to those in medical emergencies, and allows for more sophisticated information to be given than was possible under the old system.

And it’s a positive step because the EMD proposal initially encountered some resistance from city of La Crosse officials, particularly in the Fire Department.

City officials were worried that transferring the calls from the county to Gundersen Lutheran would cause logistical problems. Fortunately, the city and proponents of EMD worked out their differences — and the county’s Public Safety Communications Governing Board approved the new program.

The new EMD operation began on April 1. We congratulate those who worked together to make it happen. The public will be safer and receive better service as a result.

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