By Nisqually Valley News staff
Thurston County’s Medic One ambulance program is now the first accredited ambulance ultrasound program in the nation, the county announced Tuesday.
Thurston County’s Medic One program provides pre-hospital emergency medical services to the residents of the county. It also provides training, equipment, supplies and medical oversight for first responders.
Throughout 2024, the county installed ultrasound imaging equipment in all eight of its Medic One ambulances and, in conjunction with Madigan Army Medical Center, trained 80 paramedics to use the equipment.
“Together we innovated to save lives in Thurston County and our paramedics continue to show exemplary dedication to advancing the health and wellbeing of Thurston County,” said Dr. Myles Melton, Thurston County assistant medical director. “Their commitment to learning and applying cutting-edge point-of-care ultrasound in the field sets a new national standard for prehospital care.”
The accreditation process was completed throughout 2025.
The county’s accreditation was issued by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) through its Clinical Ultrasound Accreditation Program (CUAP) and reflects a years-long collaborative endeavor between physicians, paramedics, and government agencies.
Officials say this third-party accreditation is important because it highlights the fact that patient safety and well-being are a priority to Thurston County.
“Accreditation lets people know Thurston County’s Medic One program meets the standards set forth by ACEP for program quality, safety and administration,” said CUAP Manager Julie Rispoli.
According to county officials, bringing ultrasound into the field for use during emergency care can be the difference between life and death.
“Point of care ultrasound provides greater certainty in treating patients and allows us to more aggressively treat life threats or to avoid unnecessary procedures,” said Dr. Larry Fontanilla, Jr., medical program director for Thurston County Emergency Medical Services (EMS). “This puts the technology that was previously limited to hospitals and clinics into the hands of our paramedics allowing them to safely see inside the body.”
The ultrasound equipment in the county’s EMS units can help paramedics more quickly and accurately identify causes of traumatic bleeding to speed up time-to-treatment in the hospital, identify specific causes of respiratory distress to more accurately tailor emergency treatment at the bedside, and differentiate between causes of cardiac arrest that may not be treatable by defibrillators.
The ultrasound equipment in the county’s Medic One units may also be used in emergencies that involve shock, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, intravenous or catheter placement and traumatic injuries.
“In the hands of a well-trained paramedic, ultrasound helps paint a clearer and more complete picture of why a patient may be critically ill in circumstances where life may yet be snatched from the jaws of death,” said Dr. Anders Conway, Thurston County assistant medical director.
Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to view real-time images inside the body. These images are captured without the use of radiation exposure and, according to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, have been used for more than 20 years with an excellent safety record when used by trained health care providers.
To learn more about the County’s Medic One program, visit the county website at https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/medic-one.
