North County Journal 

 

Wesley Boles earned his stripes from the ground up, first working as an emergency medical technician, then as a registered nurse. Over the years he has administered emergency medical care to patients in helicopters, emergency rooms and intensive care units.

 

Twenty years of experience plus additional education helped Boles become chief of emergency medical services at Christian Hospital. It is a position similar to the one he held at DePaul Health Center.

On the job for one year, Boles said he wouldn't want to do anything else or work anywhere else, even though he took a pay cut when he accepted the position.Boles, 37, looks too young to be directing the 112 EMTs and paramedics, dispersed over 110 square miles in North County. They serve 11 municipalities, in six fire districts, with emergency medical services (EMS).

"I got into EMS to personally affect someone on a personal basis," he said. "Now I'm personally affecting more patients."

He said Christian Hospital's EMS ranks fourth in call volume in Missouri. Christian Hospital EMS teams average just over 50,000 calls a year, about 18 calls each night, he said.

At a recent appreciation picnic for EMS workers and their families, Boles showcased one of six new ambulances that will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The new equipment will help EMTs and paramedics do their jobs better, he said.

"The new vehicles are bigger," he said. "EMS teams will have more room to administer medical care. Bluetooth monitors and the hospital's wireless network that is connected directly to the emergency room will send ER doctors clearer electrocardiograms." Previously, an EKG was transmitted to the hospital over telephone lines, which added extra lines to a patient's EKG.

"It was the best technology we had," he said, "but it made EKGs difficult to read."

The new equipment will send two copies of a patient's EKG, one to the emergency room and another to the hospital cardiologist on call.

Other technological improvements will include global positioning systems and center-mounted stretchers that provide more room to treat patients.

Boles and wife his Jennifer, a personal trainer, have six children, three boys and three girls, the youngest 11 months. Family time is at the top of his list of things to do, he said. He also loves boating on area rivers, all types of music, and sports and weight lifting.

Boles is particularly proud of the EMS customer support service team, an initiative he began. The group consists of EMS workers.

"There is no management involved," he said. "It's an opportunity for (people who work in the field) to tell us what they need to do their job and what their customers need."

Wes Jannson, 24, is a member of the team. He's been an EMT for six years.

"We're always looking for ways to improve," Jannson said. "We're more than just work mates, we're a brotherhood. We build relationships of trust with one another to do our jobs well.

"The good thing about Wes is that he establishes goals and takes steps to reach them. We want to make EMS better for the community."