Q: How many ambulances does Kirk’s EMS own?

A: Kirk’s EMS has 11 ambulances and two rapid response vehicles covering the service area of Lawton, Elgin, Apache, Cotton County and Walters Oklahoma.

 

Q: Why do I see Kirk’s EMS ambulances parked at several locations around town?

A: Kirk’s EMS positions ambulances at strategic locations throughout the service area to better respond to emergencies. Crews respond to emergencies and are rotated to new posts continuously throughout the day and night using historical data that helps us best anticipate where our next call will be.

​

Q: How fast is Kirk’s EMS required to respond?

A: In Lawton, Elgin and Apache, Kirk’s EMS is required to respond to calls within 5 minutes 90% of the time.

 

Q: When I call for an ambulance, why does the fire department come too?

A: Firefighters serve as first responders on most emergency calls in the Kirk’s EMS service area. Though Kirk’s EMS ambulances can arrive on the scene of emergencies before or at the same time as the fire department, firefighters provide valuable assistance such as extractions, managing hazardous materials and assisting Kirk’s EMS paramedics with medical care, scene management, lifting and other tasks. Most firefighters are licensed EMTs or paramedics and assist in providing rapid response and medical care to the Kirk’s EMS community.

​

Q: What are Kirk’s EMS rates?

A: Description                                                      Health Care Price

     Advance Life Support Non-Emergency        $1,440.00

     Advance Life Support 1                                      $1,600.00

     Advance Life Support 2                                     $2,400.00

     Basic Life Support Non-Emergency              $1,200.00

     Basic Life Support Emergency                       $1,400.00

     Specialty care transport                                    $2,800.00

     Ground mileage                                                  $29/mile

​

Q: What should I do when I see an ambulance driving with its emergency lights activated?

A: According to Oklahoma law, when an emergency vehicle activates its lights and sirens, drivers are to yield by pulling to the right if you can do so safely and stopping until the emergency vehicle passes. All traffic is to yield, regardless of the ambulance’s direction of travel. The exception is if you are on a highway divided by a median and see an ambulance coming from the opposite direction.

​

Q: Why do some patients get taken to the hospital with lights and sirens and others not?

A: Depending on the severity of the patient’s illness or injury, the patient is not always taken to a hospital with the lights and sirens activated.