Central Erie County Paramedic Association

The Central Erie County Paramedic Association (CECPA) provides advanced life support (ALS) services to the citizens of Edinboro, Franklin Township, and McKean in Erie County, Pennsylvania.  Just like the original paramedics on the television show Emergency!, we respond directly to the scene of an accident or medical emergency and provide advanced care on-scene and in-transit to hospitals where definitive emergency care can be rendered. CECPA is owned and operated by the three volunteer fire departments in our area and works closely with the volunteer ambulance crews from those departments to provide cutting-edge ALS care.  CECPA was the first service in Northwestern Pennsylvania to implement pre-hospital acquisition of 12-lead EKG's with direct transmission to receiving hospitals for rapid diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI).  Early detection and diagnosis of acute MI reduces overall mortality and often allows the receiving hospital to "bypass" the emergency-room and transfer patients directly to the cardiac cath lab where blocked arteries can be opened and damaged heart tissue re-perfused.

CECPA currently operates two ALS Squad Units, known as MEDIC-2 and MEDIC-4, that respond to around 1,200 calls annually.  The units are staffed by state-certified paramedics and registered nurses with an average of 22 years field experience in the emergency medical services.