Historic Milestones 

 

Huron Valley Ambulance was created on December 15, 1981.  The company was formed by Washtenaw County's five general hospitals, following the failure of the county's largest for profit ambulance company, Fontana Taylor Ambulance Service (FTAS).  FTAS and rival Emergency Specialties Service were purchased and closed.  Huron Valley Ambulance was then started as a charitable, nonprofit ambulance service.

 

HVA was owned for eighteen months by St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, and on July 1, 1983 the other four community hospitals joined as owners (University of Michigan Health System, Peoples Community Hospital Authority (closed in 2000), Chelsea Community Hospital, and Saline Community Hospital.  The five hospitals owned HVA until January 1, 1985 when the company was turned over to community ownership.  As part of this process, the hospitals recruited volunteer community leaders to serve on the HVA Board of Trustees and forgave the initial start up costs.

 

Other dates of interest: 

 

January 26, 1982.  HVA began providing paramedic advanced life support service with two paramedic ambulances stationed in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.  This was only six weeks after HVA's start up and it was the first time that advanced life support was provided in Washtenaw County. 

 

July, 1982.  HVA begins providing pre-arrival medical self-help instructions to callers requesting emergency medical assistance. 

 

July, 1985.  All of Washtenaw County is now served by advanced life support level of service. 

 

July, 1986.  HVA begins serving the City of Belleville and the townships of Van Buren and Sumpter in Wayne County, after Taylor Ambulance Service pulls out of town on one month's notice.  This was HVA's first operation outside of Washtenaw County. 

 

October, 1986.  HVA's ambulance dispatch operations are moved into the new Washtenaw County Central Dispatch Center in the basement of the Washtenaw County Jail.  HVA staff works adjacent to county police/fire dispatchers. 

 

July, 1987.  HVA builds a new administration and central support facility in the Washtenaw County Service Center, adjacent to the County Jail.  $400,000 is raised for the project through community donations. 

 

January, 1989.  HVA begins providing paramedic ambulance service to the City of Plymouth, replacing Community EMS.  Within 18 months, HVA begins serving Plymouth Township and Northville Township as well. 

 

November, 1989.  HVA purchases its first computer-aided dispatching system. 

 

January, 1990.  HVA provides management to South Lyon's city-run ambulance service, which also covers Lyon Township in Oakland County, as well as part of Green Oak Township in Livingston County.  The service is merged into HVA in July, 1990. 

 

August, 1991.  HVA becomes the first private EMS agency in Michigan to have fully featured enhanced 9-1-1 telephone equipment.  Primary PSAP's now begin transferring 9-1-1 calls to HVA for pre-arrival medical self help instructions. 

 

March, 1995.  HVA is selected to provide paramedic ambulance service in the City of Tecumseh, and townships of Tecumseh and Clinton in Lenawee County.  The service is operated under the name Lenawee Community Ambulance, or LCA. 

 

November, 1996.  HVA, in partnership with Foote Hospital (Allegiance Health) in Jackson, Michigan, purchases Jackson Emergency Medical Services, Inc.  A new nonprofit corporation, Jackson Community Ambulance (JCA) begins operating in Jackson County, and in the City of Adrian and townships of Cambridge, Franklin and Rome in Lenawee County.  HVA and Allegiance Health each own 50% of the new company, with HVA as the managing partner. 

 

September, 1998.  HVA, in partnership with JCA and Trillium Hospital, began management of Albion Area Ambulance in Calhoun County, under a two-year management agreement.  In January of the following year, AAAS ceases operation and turns EMS services in the community over to JCA.  JCA begins operation as Albion Community Ambulance (ACA) with two paramedic ambulances. 

 

May, 1999.  HVA's call center begins nurse-based triage services, with an agreement with Foote Hospital.  Registered nurses with critical care experience are hired for to work in the HVA call center. 

 

July, 2000.  HVA created Alliance Mobile Health to serve southeast Oakland County in a partnership with Mobile Medical Response (of Saginaw) and Medstar Ambulance (of Mt. Clemens).  Alliance begins operation in October. 

 

July, 2000.  HVA begins offering LifeLink, an in-home monitoring system to assist older people in remaining independent at home. 

 

December, 2000.  HVA begins its 20th year of service to the community. 

July, 2001.  HVA purchases 57 new 12-lead ECG monitor/defibrillators at a cost of $850,000 and trains paramedics in 12-lead ECG recognition.  We become the first large scale, regional 12-lead ECG program in Michigan.  The community contributes over $600,000 to help offset the cost for HVA. 

 

Spring, 2002.  Our LCA unit opens a new two-bay ambulance station on West Maumee Street in Adrian. 

 

2002.  HVA begins providing mobility transportation services for Canton Township in Wayne County. 

 

2002.  HVA donates a full-sized ambulance to the Ann Arbor Hands-On-Museum along with a video describing the duties of paramedics.  It quickly becomes one of the Museum's most visited offerings. 

 

October 1, 2003.  Our Alliance Mobile Health unit begins 9-1-1 paramedic service in the City of Troy, in Oakland County.  This is Alliance's first 9-1-1 agreement.  Alliance later adds the communities of Clawson, Berkley and Oak Park to its 9-1-1 response area. 

 

Spring, 2005.  HVA purchases a $1.1 million regional support facility in the City of Plymouth, to better serve Wayne and southwest Oakland counties. 

 

October, 2005.  Monroe Community Ambulance (MCA) is created in a 4-way partnership with Mercy Memorial Hospital in Monroe, as well as LifeStar Ambulance and ProMedica Continuing Care Corporation of Toledo.  HVA, in addition to being an owner, is designated as the managing partner. 

 

October, 2005.  HVA moves to its new headquarters building on State Circle in Pittsfield Township (Ann Arbor).  The new 36,000 square foot facility contains administrative offices, educational facilities, our call center, vehicle maintenance facility, and the regional support center for our Central Operations division which serves Washtenaw County.  The building replaces HVA's former headquarters building in the Washtenaw County service center.  The new campus contains 18 acres. 

 

2006.  HVA begins answering 2-1-1 information and referral telephone lines for United Way agencies in Livingston, Monroe and Washtenaw County.  Other 2-1-1 responsibilities for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties are added. 

 

2006.  Washtenaw County residents approve a multi-million dollar bond to construct a multi-tower upgraded 800-Mhz trunked radio system.  The system is connected with the statewide MPSCS radio system for interoperability with other agencies. 

 

May, 2006.  MCA begins providing 9-1-1 service to Monroe County. 

 

July, 2006.  HVA deploys its first paramedic (non-transporting) E-Unit in the Village of Dexter. 

 

Summer, 2006.  Alliance Mobile Health purchases a new headquarters building in the City of Troy. 

November, 2007.  Lenawee Community Ambulance (LCA) begins serving Raisin, Ridgeway and Macon Townships, as well as the Village of Britton. 

 

2008.  HVA takes delivery of a new 40' mobile command post, containing communications facilities, as well as a meeting room, rest room, and disaster supplies. 

 

January, 2008.  JCA EMT Cheryl Kiefer is killed in the line of duty, while assisting an accident victim on the shoulder of EB I-94 at Kalmbach Road. 

 

July, 2008.  HVA paramedic begin using electronic patient records.  These computers connect through ambulance-based mobile hotspots which are connected via a broadband connection. 

 

Summer, 2008.  HVA forms its first Honor Guard, which serves in a ceremonial capacity at official events and funerals. 

 

April, 2009.  HVA deploys it's second (non-transporting) E-Unit in the City of Saline. 

 

Spring, 2009.  LCA adds a new quarters to our ambulance station in the City of Tecumseh.  The land is provided by ProMedica Health System. 

 

Summer, 2009.  Along with the City of Albion, our ambulance service dedicated a new joint fire-ambulance station in downtown.  Our JCA operation also partners with Summit Township and Blackman Townships in Jackson County to provide ambulance housing in township fire stations. 

 

Fall, 2009.  HVA discontinues providing 9-1-1 ambulance service to Northville Township. 

 

December, 2009.  HVA begins dispatching for the Ann Arbor Fire Department, becoming the 11th fire department being dispatched by HVA. 

 

February, 2010.  The Washtenaw County Confined Space Rescue Team begins operation, providing local resources which can rescue people trapped in a trench or other dangerous environment.  HVA provides representatives to this team. 

 

March, 2010.  JCA partners with the Columbia Township Fire Department to provide a BLS ambulance in the Village of Brooklyn.  The ambulance operation operates under JCA's license, with staffing being provided by the fire department.

 

July, 2010.  Monroe Community Ambulance begins providing primary paramedic ambulance service to the City of Monroe.  MCA now serves the entire Monroe County.