Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary
About Us
The Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary was founded in 1972 as Drug Rescue under the auspices of the Northeast Florida Chapter of the American Red Cross. When originally founded, Drug Rescue was a group of concerned citizens involved in the treatment of medical emergencies, especially overdoses, at the Jacksonville Coliseum. They also assisted at other concerts around the city. The original members were doctors, nurses, firefighters, and first aiders.
At the beginning of the 1980’s, the Jacksonville City Council decided that special event medicine in the city needed to improve and be incorporated into the city emergency services. To that end, Drug Rescue changed its name to the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary and city council authorized the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department to recognize them as an independent auxiliary to the rescue division.
Throughout the 1980’s, the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary continued to be the primary event medical provider, integrated with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Rescue Division to improve life-saving capabilities and increase rescue personnel.
As the city grew through the 1990’s and the 2000’s, more and larger events were coming to the area, including the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was determined that city would start staffing these events with paid members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department with the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary providing additional manpower.
Today, the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary continues to serve alongside the members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department in all aspects of medical care. While we wear almost identical uniforms, you can recognize us by our auxiliary rocker on our left shoulder. We currently provide staffing at all major events in the city, including the Gate River Run, Concerts at Daily’s Place and the Arena, the Jaguar games, and the Florida-Georgia Game. In addition to our tradition of working special events, you will also find us working on the city rescue units, at emergency shelters when opened, or any other medical emergency in the city.
Click here to apply now.
volunteer minimum requirements
Certifications
Applicants must have at least their BLS/CPR certification as well as a relevant license (e.g., EMT, Paramedic, RN, APRN, DO).
AGe requirements
All applicants must be at least 18 years of age. There is no upper age limit to volunteer.
Expereince
You do not have to have any prior EMS experience or current employment in EMS to apply. We encourage all experience levels to apply!
onboarding
All applicants will be required to submit complete applications, copies of all relevant certifications,and undergo a background check through the City of Jacksonville. Once the background check is complete, applicants will be expected to work 2 special events, attend a fire station orientation, and meet with the JFRD JEMA Liaison. At that point, onboarding will be complete.
time commitment
After your probationary period, you will be expected to volunteer for at least one rescue ride (of at least 8 consecutive hours) or one special event each month to maintain active membership status.
Volunteer
Frequently Asked Questions
To volunteer, refer to the “Volunteer Minimum Requirements” section above to make sure you meet the minimum requirements outlined above. JEMA is seeking volunteers who are healthcare providers (e.g., EMT, Paramedic, RN, APRN, Physician). Prior experience in emergency medicine is not required. To fill out an application, click here. If you have any questions, feel free to message us at Info@jemauxiliary.org.
In order to start the membership journey, you will need to fill out two applications (City of Jacksonville and JEMA), submit the required documents, and attend a regular monthly meeting.
We require our volunteers to be at least 18 years of age. There is no upper age limit.
The Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary is a group of new and experienced EMS providers that serve as additional staffing for the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Rescue Division. JEMA members assist the JFRD by serving on JFRD rescue units and providing extra staffing at events in the Jacksonville community.
No!
We are looking for qualified healthcare providers who want to help.
Whether you are a seasoned provider looking to stay connected to the field, a new EMT eager to gain experience, or a life-long volunteer, there is a spot for you in JEMA. When you first join JEMA, you will be required to go through orientation events and ride alongs with another member of JEMA. They will be sure to show you the ropes and answer any questions you have!
Before becoming a member of JEMA, you will enter a probationary period in which you will have to complete two orientation ride-alongs. The orientations will consist of training you on JFRD rescue protocols, familiarizing you with the equipment and tools in the rescue, and getting you acquainted with the fire station.
We do not require you to reside in Jacksonville to become a member of JEMA. Many of our members are active military or reside in different communities surrounding Jacksonville.
We require our volunteers to attend monthly training meetings and work at least one event or complete one ride-along (of at least 8 hours) once a month.
We currently provide staffing at all major events in the city, including the Gate River Run, concerts at Daily’s Place and the Arena, the Jaguar games, and the Florida-Georgia game. In addition to our tradition of working special events, you will also find us working on the city rescue units, at emergency shelters when opened, or any other medical emergency in the city.
Yes! Every month, we have a JEMA general membership meeting which consists of an update of the status of JEMA as well as includes a training component in which CEUs can be obtained. Trainings are designed to provide skill refreshers and educate our members on JFRD protocols.
In order to start the membership journey, you will need to fill out two applications (City of Jacksonville and JEMA), submit the required documents, and attend a regular monthly meeting.
As part of the application process, a background check will be conducted by the City of Jacksonville Pre-Employment Screening Services. Because of this, application processing time can range anywhere from two weeks to over a month. If at any time you have questions about the status of your application, please reach out to us through one of our social media pages or at Info@jemauxiliary.org
Photo Gallery
Members of the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary work special events around the city of Jacksonville as well as serve as additional manpower on JFRD rescue units. In addition, members undergo monthly training to continue education and stay current on JFRD protocols.
JEMA Leadership
JEMA is governed by an elected executive board including a president, treasurer, secretary, and several appointed officers.
Eric Zelaya
Vice President
Angela Kellogg
Secretary
Edward Howard
President
Rich Horne
Treasurer
Eric Finkelstein
Executive Board/Sr. Command Officer
Beth Rogers
Executive Board/ President Emeritus
Derek Haas
EMT Coordinator
Donations
As a volunteer organization, the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary is completely self-sustained by member-paid dues and donations from the community. We receive no funding from the City of Jacksonville. Our members do not receive paychecks and collectively dedicate thousands of hours each year to serve not only as additional manpower for the JFRD but also in community outreach and education.
We encourage you to consider donating to us. Below you can donate the specific amount found below for a needed item or you can make a general donation.
All donations go into the general fund to support the mission of the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary. We thank you for your donation and helping us in our mission to serve and keep the Jacksonville community safe!
Monetary Donations
All monetary donations can be made through Squarespace and will go into the general membership fund. Our donation link can be accessed by clicking the icon below.
