Milwaukee County’s goal is to enrich your life by providing essential services that meet your needs and those of your family, neighbors, co-workers and friends.
We enhance the quality of life in Milwaukee County through great public service.
Milwaukee County is home to over 950,000 people living in one of 19 communities, which range in size from the City of Milwaukee, with 595,000 residents, to the Village of River Hills, with roughly 1,600 residents.
Still a manufacturing stronghold, the region features 16 Fortune 1000 companies and thousands of others in the financial services, medical device, hospitality and retailing industries.
Find information about things to do and happenings in Milwaukee County.
Per Milwaukee County's antisecrecy policy (MCO 56.24),
A representative of government of the American type is dependent upon an informed electorate and recognizes that secrecy in government is the antithesis of America's loftiest and noblest ideals. It's the policy of the County that the public is entitled to the fullest and most complete information regarding the affairs of county government as is compatible with the conduct of county governmental affairs and of the transaction of governmental business. To that end, all boards, commissions and department heads must do everything reasonably possible to comply with the spirit of such laws.
In short, Milwaukee County is wholeheartedly committed to transparency. In compliance with — and in full support of — the spirit of the law, OEM shares below the status of a series of metrics, broken down by OEM division, updated regularly. For additional information on any of these metrics, or to request consideration of additional metrics, email us at [email protected].
OASIS is a P25 digital, simulcast, trunked, 800MHz public safety radio system covering both Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. Each county has deployed radio towers and infrastructure equipment (e.g., transmitters, dispatch consoles) within their boundaries. Within Milwaukee County, the OASIS Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) defines responsibilities of the County (through OEM) as a system operator and those responsibilities of the user agencies as subscribers.
Learn more about OASIS in the OASIS 2018 Annual Report.
Municipalities participating in OASIS Public Safety Radio System Inter-Governmental Agreement as of 08/01/2019: Bayside, Village of Brown Deer, Village of Cudahy, City of Fox Point, Village of Franklin, City of Glendale, City of Greendale, Village of Greenfield, City of Hales Corners, Village of Oak Creek, City of River Hills, Village of St. Francis, City of Shorewood, Village of South Milwaukee, City of Wauwatosa, City of West Allis, City of West Milwaukee, City of Whitefish Bay, Village of
Not participating: Milwaukee, City of
OASIS’s Milwaukee County subsystem serves 70 agencies, shown below. Mutual aid use continues to be extended to select non-governmental organizations that provide support to emergency-response efforts, and it is also extended to public safety agencies in neighboring counties to enable them to communicate when necessary with agencies in Milwaukee County.
Fire/EMS Agencies using OASIS Public Safety Radio System as of 08/01/2019: Cudahy Fire Department Franklin Fire Department Greendale Fire Department Greenfield Fire Department Hales Corners Fire Department North Shore Fire/Rescue Oak Creek Fire Department St. Francis Fire Department South Milwaukee Fire Department Wauwatosa Fire Department West Allis Fire Department
Not participating: Milwaukee Fire Department
Law Enforcement Agencies using OASIS Public Safety Radio System as of 08/01/2019: Bayside Police Department Brown Deer Police Department Cudahy Police Department Fox Point Police Department Franklin Police Department Glendale Police Department Greendale Police Department Greenfield Police Department Hales Corners Police Department Oak Creek Police Department St. Francis Police Department River Hills Police Department Shorewood Police Department South Milwaukee Police Department Wauwatosa Police Department West Allis Police Department West Milwaukee Police Department Whitefish Bay Police Department Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office
Not participating: Milwaukee Police Department
Partner Agencies using OASIS Public Safety Radio System as of 08/01/2019: Brown Deer Public Works Department Cudahy Public Health Department Franklin Public Health Department Greenfield Public Health Department Hales Corners Public Health Department Hales Corners Public Works Department North Shore Public Health Department Oak Creek Public Health Department South Milwaukee Public Health Department St. Francis Public Health Department Wauwatosa Public Works Department West Allis Public Health Department West Allis Public Works Department West Milwaukee Public Works Department
US Dept of Veterans Affairs American Red Cross ARES/RACES HIDTA MayFair Mall Security Milwaukee Fire Bell Club MADACC
County Departments using OASIS Public Safety Radio System as of 08/01/2019: Behavioral Health Division Children's Court Center Facilities Management Highway Department House of Correction Information Management Services Division Office of the County Executive Office of the District Attorney Office of Emergency Management Office of the Medical Examiner Parks Department Sheriff's Office Transit System
Encryption of public safety radios can significantly decrease the possibility that sensitive information can be used to impede effective emergency response or jeopardize the safety of life and property. In a radio communications system, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a means of encoding radio transmissions to such a degree that it becomes extremely difficult to listen without authorization, the proper decoding equipment and the correct key.
Municipalities Implementing the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) as of 8/1/2019 Greenfield, City of West Allis, City of
OEM’s 911 Communications Division is responsible for the prompt response and delivery of emergency services to 911 callers, serving as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for Milwaukee County.
Text-to-911 is the ability to send a text message to reach 911 emergency call takers from your mobile phone or device. However, because Text-to-911 is currently only available in certain locations, you should always contact 911 by making a voice call, if you can. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled, and Text-to-911 is not available, use a TTY or a telecommunications relay service, if possible.
911 Centers Accepting Text-to-911 as of 11/01/2021 Franklin North Shore Milwaukee County OEM
If dispatchers are trained and able to talk bystanders through how to perform CPR on a cardiac arrest victim, they can turn an untrained bystander into a lifesaver. A cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival decreases 10% with every minute that passes between collapse and start of CPR, and immediate CPR can double, even triple chances of survival. Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management and the Medical College of Wisconsin developed and implemented a system for 911 dispatchers to give bystander CPR pre-arrival instructions to all callers in the County, thanks to funding from a Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program grant. Now a state law, dispatchers across the rest of Wisconsin will be able to give CPR instructions over the phone or easily transfer a caller to a 911 center like ours that can give CPR instructions.
911 Centers Providing Dispatch-Assisted CPR Instructions as of 8/1/2019 Cudahy* Franklin* Greendale / Hales Corners* Greenfield Milwaukee North Shore* Oak Creek / St. Francis South Milwaukee* Wauwatosa* West Allis West Milwaukee* Milwaukee County OEM * indicates calls are transferred to OEM
Emergency Medical Dispatch is a systematic program of handling medical calls. Trained telecommunicators, using locally approved EMD Guidecards, quickly and properly determine the nature and priority of the call, dispatch the appropriate response, then give the caller instructions to help treat the patient until the responding EMS unit arrives.
911 Centers Providing Emergency Medical Dispatch as of 8/1/2019 Cudahy Franklin Greendale / Hales Corners North Shore South Milwaukee Wauwatosa West Milwaukee Milwaukee County OEM
OEM’s Emergency Medical Services Division is responsible for the protocols and standards of care of over 500 paramedics. OEM assures quality improvement by conducting non-punitive randomized checks and ensuring a clean and quality data repository that contains HIPAA-compliant patient care records which are used nationally in research and analytics for improvements in patient outcomes. Among a number of variables that are measured and tracked, the following metrics provide a brief representation of our system.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) means use, by appropriately trained and licensed personnel, in pre-hospital and interfacility emergency care and transportation of patients, of the medical knowledge, skills and techniques included in the department-approved training required for licensure of Emergency Medical Technicians-Paramedic (EMT-P), under Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 112, and which are not included in Basic Life Support (BLS).
EMS Agencies Providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) Service as of 8/1/2019 535 Paramedics Franklin Fire Department 42 Greendale Fire Department 15 Greenfield Fire Department 44 Hales Corners Fire Department 9 Milwaukee Fire Department 192 North Shore Fire/Rescue 40 Oak Creek Fire Department 41 South Milwaukee Fire Department 13 Wauwatosa Fire Department 54 West Allis Fire Department 65 Milwaukee County OEM 28
If any one member of the EMS team, regardless of their team assignment, feels it is in the best interest of a patient to be evaluated and/or transported, the EMS unit will evaluate and/or transport the patient. The level of transport will be determined by patient assessment needs and treatment provided. Transport shall be to the closest, most appropriate open receiving hospital, taking into consideration the patient’s medical condition, patient's request, location of regular care, primary medical doctor and/or medical records and insurance.
Transport: Responding Agency 8,748 Transports 2018 Q4 261 Cudahy Fire Department 420 Franklin Fire Department 234 Greendale Fire Department 765 Greenfield Fire Department 111 Hales Corners Fire Department 3,015 Milwaukee Fire Department 574 North Shore Fire/Rescue 649 Oak Creek Fire Department 181 St. Francis Fire Department 408 South Milwaukee Fire Department 804 Wauwatosa Fire Department 1,320 West Allis Fire Department
Transport: Receiving Hospital 8,748 Transports 2018 Q4 116 Aurora Grafton 1,708 Aurora St. Luke's 693 Aurora St. Luke's South Shore 366 Aurora Sinai 1,100 Aurora West Allis 346 Children's Hospital of Wisconsin 713 Columbia St. Mary's Milwaukee 256 Columbia St. Mary's Ozaukee 99 Froedtert Community Memorial 1,807 Froedtert Hospital 166 Milwaukee VA Medical Center 11 Moorland Reserve Health Center 11 Waukesha Memorial 0 Wheaton Franciscan All Saints 31 Wheaton Franciscan Elmbrook 366 Wheaton Franciscan Franklin 307 Wheaton Franciscan St. Francis 652 Wheaton Franciscan St. Joseph
The primary impression is a concise statement describing the symptom, problem or condition that is the reason for a medical encounter. Milwaukee County uses more than 250 specific descriptors, from Abdominal Pain to Weakness, which fall into 10 broad categories.
EMS System Primary Impression8,748 Transports 2018 Q4 916 Behavioral/Psychological 980 Cardiac/Circulatory 664 CNS/Nervous System 206 Diabetic, Endocrine or Metabolic 927 Injury 1,562 Pain 1,425 Respiratory 485 Substance Abuse 1,439 General/Other 144 N/A
OEM, EMS agencies and health care systems work in partnership to ensure access to safe and high-quality care. Per OEM’s operational policy, patients have the right to make informed health choices including hospital destination within the Milwaukee County EMS System; care outside of an informed patient care choice may impact safety, quality and economic risks. Some hospitals are considered a specialty resource center designed and prepared to handle certain types of patients (eg, Level 1 Trauma Centers, Comprehensive Stroke Centers, cardiac intervention). While one hospital may be closer, it may not be the most appropriate facility depending on the resource needs of the patient.
Reason For Choosing Emergency Department
8,748 Transports 2018 Q4 1,679 Closest Facility 55 Closest Facility, Family Choice 177 Closest Facility, Patient's Choice 598 Family Choice 87 Law Enforcement Choice 4,943 Patient's Choice 126 Patient's Choice, Closest Facility 589 Protocol 154 Regional Specialty Center 282 Other
Launched in 2017, OEM’s free app is designed to allow EMS providers in the field easy and searchable access to the protocols and practical skills guiding medical care provided within the Milwaukee County EMS system. The Standards of Care manual is broken down into the following sections: Universal Care/Operations, Cardiovascular, General Medicine, GI-GU-GYN, Pediatric Specific, Respiratory/Airway, Research, Resuscitation, Special Operations/TEMS, Toxins/Environmental, Trauma and Practical Skills.
EMS Agencies Utilizing OEM EMS Standards of Care Mobile App as of 8/1/2019 Cudahy Fire Department Franklin Fire Department Greendale Fire Department Greenfield Fire Department Hales Corners Fire Department Milwaukee Fire Department North Shore Fire/Rescue Oak Creek Fire Department St. Francis Fire Department South Milwaukee Fire Department Wuawatosa Fire Department West Allis Fire Department Milwaukee County OEM
As data shows a continuing increase in overdose deaths, a consistent methodology to track overdoses, both fatal and non-fatal, in real time across jurisdictions, is necessary to mobilize a public health response capable of addressing these issues within our communities. Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) links first responders on scene to a mapping tool to track overdoses to stimulate real-time response and strategic analysis across jurisdictions. It is a mobile tool, capable of being used in the field on any mobile device or data terminal connected to an agency’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system.
EMS Agencies Participating in Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) as of 8/1/2019 Cudahy Fire Department Franklin Fire Department Greendale Fire Department Greenfield Fire Department Hales Corners Fire Department North Shore Fire/Rescue Oak Creek Fire Department St. Francis Fire Department South Milwaukee Fire Department Wauwatosa Fire Department Milwaukee County OEM
EMS providers may or may not be the first responder to an opioid-related drug overdose victim. Law enforcement officers may encounter an overdose patient before medical help arrives and in such case, a properly trained officer can take simple measures in safely administering naloxone, potentially saving a life. The agencies below have been properly trained to administer naloxone by OEM-EMS. Standard operating procedures have been developed that capture methods to properly identify a person undergoing an opioid-related exposure, subsequent victim distress and how to safely dispense naloxone.
Law Enforcement Agencies Trained & Equipped by OEM to Administer Naloxone for Overdose as of 8/1/2019 Bayside Police Department Brown Deer Police Department Cudahy Police Department Fox Point Police Department Franklin Police Department Glendale Police Department Greendale Police Department Greenfield Police Department Hales Corners Police Department Milwaukee Police Department Oak Creek Police Department St. Francis Police Department River Hills Police Department Shorewood Police Department South Milwaukee Police Department Wauwatosa Police Department West Allis Police Department West Milwaukee Police Department Whitefish Bay Police Department Wisconsin State Capitol Police Wisconsin State Fair Park Police Wisconsin State Patrol Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office Milwaukee County House of Correction Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office Marquette University Police Departments UW-Milwaukee Police Department
In the federal system of emergency management, local government must act first to attend to the public’s emergency needs. A municipality's emergency operations plan (EOP) is a document that:
Depending on the nature and size of the emergency, county, state and federal assistance may be provided to the local jurisdiction.
Municipalities with a current Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) as of 8/1/2019 Bayside, Village of Brown Deer, Village of Cudahy, City of Fox Point, Village of Franklin, City of Glendale, City of Greendale, Village of Greenfield, City of Hales Corners, Village of Milwaukee, City of Oak Creek, City of River Hills, Village of South Milwaukee, City of Wauwatosa, City of West Allis, City of West Milwaukee, City of Whitefish Bay, Village of
Local hazard mitigation planning forms the foundation for a community’s long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction and repeated damage in the next disaster. The plan creates a framework for risk-based decision making to reduce damages to lives, property and the economy from future disasters. As County emergency management, OEM is required to develop a hazard mitigation plan. Adoption of the county plan makes the local municipality eligible to apply for FEMA hazard mitigation grants.
Municipalities Adopting Milwaukee County's Hazard Mitigation Plan as of 8/1/2019 Bayside, Village of Brown Deer, Village of Cudahy, City of Fox Point, Village of Franklin, City of Glendale, City of Greendale, Village of Greenfield, City of Hales Corners, Village of Milwaukee, City of Oak Creek, City of River Hills, Village of St. Francis, City of Shorewood, Village of South Milwaukee, City of Wauwatosa, City of West Allis, City of West Milwaukee, City of Whitefish Bay, Village of
In late 2016, the US Geological Survey (USGS) issued findings that as many as 78% of Milwaukee streams have toxic levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are organic contaminants that in high amounts can harm aquatic animals, cause cancer, genetic mutations and reproductive issues. Commonly used as the “blacktop” on asphalt roads and parking lots, coal-tar pavement sealant was found to contribute up to 77% of the PAHs found in streambeds. The City of Milwaukee issued an ordinance banning use of coal-tar sealants in February 2017, and environmental groups are advocating for all municipalities to follow suit.
Municipalities Adopting a Ban of Tar-Based Sealants as of 8/1/2019 Bayside, Village of Brown Deer, Village of Franklin, City of Glendale, City of Greenfield, City of Hales Corners, Village of Milwaukee, City of River Hills, Village of Shorewood, Village of Wauwatosa, City of West Allis, City of West Milwaukee, City of Whitefish Bay, Village of
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