Lawrence County Emergency Medical Services (LCEMS) provides Advanced Life Support ambulance service for 911 requests within Lawrence County. Calls are dispatched through the Lawrence County E-911 system.

LCEMS staffs five ALS ambulances 24 hours a day. Three units are stationed in Lawrenceburg, one in Loretto to serve the southern portion of the county, and one in Ethridge to support the northern portion of the county. The Lawrenceburg Fire Department and Lawrence County Fire & Rescue also partner with LCEMS by responding to high-priority medical calls and traumatic incidents as first responder agencies within their respective service areas.

In 2026, LCEMS was approved to transition to a 24/72 schedule, providing crews with increased recovery time to promote a healthier work-life balance, improve rest following long shifts, and allow personal time to process difficult calls. LCEMS employs 42 full-time personnel, including Advanced EMTs (AEMTs), Paramedics, and Critical Care Paramedics. These providers are licensed EMS professionals in Tennessee or other EMS Compact states, primarily neighboring Alabama. LCEMS also employs part-time EMS providers to fill staffing needs as necessary.

LCEMS maintains mutual aid agreements with EMS providers in neighboring counties, including Giles County EMS, Wayne Medical Center EMS, and Maury Regional EMS. LCEMS also partners with Moorecare Ambulance Service, a privately operated ambulance service in Lawrenceburg. These agencies provide response assistance during periods of unusually high call volume and mass-casualty incidents.

Southern Tennessee Regional Health System–Lawrenceburg is the destination for most patient transports. When a patient’s condition requires transfer to another facility, the transfer may be provided by LCEMS or by one of three regional air ambulance providers: Air Evac Lifeteam, which maintains a base in Lawrenceburg; Survival Flight; and Vanderbilt LifeFlight.

Each LCEMS ambulance is equipped with state-of-the-art life-saving equipment, including cardiac monitors, mechanical chest compression devices, IV pumps and warming systems, video laryngoscopes, medication refrigeration units, and other advanced equipment.

LCEMS medications and clinical protocols are reviewed regularly by the protocol review committee to ensure they remain current and provide EMS providers with the tools necessary to treat a wide variety of emergencies. A web-based transmission system also allows LCEMS to transmit critical patient information to receiving hospitals while en route, enabling hospital staff to make important preparations before the patient’s arrival.

LCEMS maintains clinical relationships with several EMS education organizations, including Columbia State Community College, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, and Motlow State Community College. These partnerships provide opportunities for EMS students to complete clinical experiences and preceptorships with LCEMS.

LCEMS is proud to partner with the Lawrence County School System to provide students at Lawrence County High School, Loretto High School, and Summertown High School with the opportunity to participate in an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) course. The program provides students with the necessary coursework and clinical experience to prepare for the National Registry examination and Tennessee EMR certification. Students complete classroom and skills training with their health science and EMR instructors and participate in clinical rotations on LCEMS ambulances, providing valuable real-world experience in emergency medical care. Many students continue their EMS education after high school, and LCEMS is proud to have multiple former students currently employed with the agency.

LCEMS also provides EMR education to members of local fire departments and other emergency response organizations through periodic evening courses, helping prepare community responders to obtain their EMR certification.

LCEMS has an in-house education team that supports responders by providing routine continuing education courses and necessary field orientation. This education is provided by our state EMS endorsed Instructor-Coordinators and/or field training officers. Courses provided include required or specialty education courses, such as Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Medical Life Support, Prehospital Trauma Life Support, Neonatal Resuscitation Program, and other courses appropriate to each provider’s scope of practice. LCEMS is assisted with educational opportunities from various other healthcare organizations.

LCEMS also provides outreach education to the community through First Aid/CPR courses, Stop the Bleed programs, the TN Yellow Dot Program, career presentations, touch-a-truck events, and other EMS presentations. 

Lawrence County EMS is proud to support EMS at the state and national levels. LCEMS is a member of and actively involved in several professional, advocacy, and support organizations, including:

LCEMS is led by Director/Critical Care Paramedic Michelle Ayers, who is supported by the following leadership team:

Dr. Micky Busby serves as the Lawrence County Medical Examiner as well. He is assisted by four Medicolegal Death Investigators. 

 

The Lawrence County Medical Examiner’s Office is tasked with pronouncing death outside of medical facilities/hospice care and conducting necessary death investigations to determine the suspected cause and manner of death. LCMEO coordinates investigations with local law enforcement agencies when necessary and arranges autopsy cases with the Middle TN Regional Forensic Center.