Southwestern Illinois EMS System

05/22/2026

The Southwestern Illinois EMS System would like to pay our respects to Andy Grawitch. Andy was a former paramedic in our EMS system. More than that, Andy helped develop the paramedic program in St. Clair County, IL and went on to become one of the first instructors in the program. His passion for education did not stop there. Andy also taught International Trauma Life Support (formerly known as Basic Trauma Life Support), Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and much more. Andy also went on to become a registered nurse, working in the emergency room at Belleville Memorial Hospital for over 25 years. Andy was an integral part of the success of many paramedics in the Southwestern Illinois EMS System and beyond. We all mourn Andy's passing and will keep his legacy alive.

View Andy Grawitch's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

05/22/2026

Come celebrate EMS week with us. Come get free lunch and a special gift!!!!

05/20/2026

Happy EMS week!!! Southwestern Illinois EMS System is out at Shiloh Memorial Hospital today. Come grab some lunch on us today. Showing appreciation to our providers.

05/12/2026

Today at our Run Review, we had the privilege of welcoming Amanda “Mandi” Sutphin, BSHCA, Paramedic, who presented “Riding the Waves of the Opioid Epidemic Through Real‑World Data.”

Amanda served our EMS system for many years before transitioning into her current role as a Clinical Research Manager. Her unique perspective and continued dedication to advancing patient care through data and research brought tremendous value to our team.

Thank you, Paramedic Sutphin, for sharing your career journey and expertise to help educate and strengthen the Southwestern Illinois EMS System.

A huge shout‑out to Faith Church.com(Fairview Heights) for generously allowing us to use their facility to conduct our Run Review.

05/11/2026

🚑 Provider Input Needed! 🚑
We’re looking to refine our clinical dashboards and want to know which performance metrics actually matter to you in the field. If we’re measuring excellence, we want to make sure it reflects the high-quality care you provide every day.

Poll Question:
As a provider, which clinical bundle would you prioritize seeing on your personal or station performance reports?

Option 1: Chest Pain Bundle (12-Lead < 10min, ASA admin/documentation, & STEMI activation)

Option 2: Stroke Bundle (LKW time, Glucose check, Stroke Scale, & Hospital activation)

Option 3: Airway Bundle (Pre-intubation resuscitation & Post-intubation EtCO2)

Option 4: Cardiac Arrest Bundle (Chest compression fraction & ROSC rates)

Drop a comment below: Is there a specific metric not listed here that you think tells a better story of patient care than just "fast scene times"? Let’s talk shop! 👇

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible moms out there! 💐

Today, we want to send an extra-special shoutout to the EMS Moms who are spending their day in the back of an ambulance instead of being treated to breakfast in bed. 🚑💨

To the moms wearing high-vis instead of floral dresses today: Thank you. Thank you for missing the family cookouts, the hugs, and the "thank yous" at home so you can be there for someone else’s worst day. You balance the fierce compassion of a mother with the grit and skill of a first responder, and that is nothing short of heroic.

Whether you’re working a 12, a 24, or coming off a long night shift:

We see your sacrifice.

We appreciate your strength.

We hope your shift is quiet and your coffee is actually hot.

To the families of these EMS warriors, thank you for sharing your moms with the community today.

Happy Mother’s Day, ladies! Stay safe out there. ❤️🩹🩺

05/09/2026

Our team has concluded its participation at the Michigan EMS Expo, having delivered eight presentations over the course of two and a half days to a distinguished group of EMS providers. It was a privilege to be invited by Michigan to present at their conference.

05/09/2026

Last presentation by Team SWILEMS, sharing the STARS program with Michigan EMS providers.

05/09/2026

Team SWILEMS commences the morning session by presenting on the Region 4 RMERT Team and the process of establishing a team.

05/08/2026

Educating EMS educators at the Michigan EMS Expo. A great discussion by Team SWILEMS on how to motivate students to EMS educators.

The Team has been collaborating with prominent EMS leaders, providers, and vendors on some innovative concepts.