EMS History
EMS History
Cheshire County Emergency Medical Services, known as CCEMS, was established in October 2022 as a county based, municipally owned and operated EMS agency dedicated to providing high quality emergency medical care to residents, visitors, and travelers throughout Cheshire County. The creation of CCEMS marked a historic step in enhancing access, consistency, and professionalism in pre hospital care for our rural communities.
From its early beginnings, the service was strategically positioned in the geographic heart of the county, with its headquarters located at 66B Lake Street in Swanzey, New Hampshire. While its permanent facility was under construction, CCEMS proudly began operations on November 14, 2022, operating from temporary quarters at Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, demonstrating its commitment to serving the public even at the earliest stages of development.
By mid-December 2022, construction on the new Swanzey campus was completed, including modern administrative and crew quarters as well as a dedicated apparatus bay and training facility. This state-of-the-art campus supports emergency medical operations, ongoing provider education, community training, and collaborative exercises with regional partners.
From the outset, CCEMS has pursued a mission to deliver both Basic and Advanced Life Support with professionalism, compassion, and clinical excellence. Its vision emphasizes evidence-based practices, continuing education, community engagement, and a workplace culture rooted in teamwork and trust.
A Well-Staffed, Highly Skilled Team
What truly sets CCEMS apart is its exceptional workforce. The service is proudly staffed by a dedicated team of Emergency Medical Technicians, Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, Captains, two Deputy Chiefs, and a Chief.
This multi-tiered professional structure ensures the right level of expertise is available for every response, from basic care and patient assessment to advanced life support and medical oversight. The agency’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its ongoing training programs and the depth of clinical experience across its ranks.
Community Partnerships and Service Contracts
CCEMS has built strong collaborative relationships with municipalities throughout Cheshire County. Currently, the service maintains contractual agreements with 19 of the 23 towns in the County.
These contracts include primary EMS service agreements in communities that rely on CCEMS as their main ambulance provider, backup support contracts to augment local EMS resources when needed, and inter facility transport agreements to ensure safe, reliable transfers between healthcare facilities.
These partnerships reflect the county’s commitment to responsive, locally tailored EMS coverage, particularly in rural areas where maintaining consistent service has traditionally been challenging.