Fire – Dr. John Wells

Dr. John Wells studied at the Texas Tech University School of Medicine, and eventually became the medical director of the Valley Pain & Rehab Center in Brownsville, Texas. Today, Dr. John Wells serves as the medical director of the Brownsville Fire Department, where he oversees Mobile Integrated Health Care and the Community Paramedicine Program.

Launched in 2018, Brownsville Mobile Integrated Health Care was developed to deliver preventative care through the emergency response teams with the Brownsville Fire Department. The department operates seven full-time ambulances for emergencies, and another non-emergency truck. The program arranges for scheduled visits from paramedics in those ambulances, who perform home checks on elderly or ill patients.

The program identifies individuals who call 911 most often. These may be people without other options, such as family members to care for them, or those who suffer from chronic illnesses that may develop into critical medical issues. Once identified, the paramedics visit them and provide assistance and resources to prevent further 911 calls. Local community organizations also support the patients with additional services.

Pain management and emergency room medicine specialist Dr. John Wells provides leadership in developing the programs of the health department of the City of Brownsville, Texas as the City Health Authority. Dr. John Wells also led in the creation of the best pre-hospital emergency medical services for the residents of Brownsville as part of his responsibilities as the medical director of the Brownsville Fire Department Emergency Medical Service (Fire/EMS).

In 2019, the Fire/EMS received a grant amounting to $170,933.43 from the Community Development Block Grant program of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City of Brownsville used the grant to purchase three units of all-terrain special response vehicles that will be used to respond to medical emergencies in areas that are not accessible to full-sized ambulances.

The new vehicles will be assigned to the Brownsville Fire Department’s Special Operations Division, which also supervises the Hazardous Materials Response Team, the Unmanned Aerial Team, and the Dive and Swift Water Rescue. The new units will be stationed in different fire stations across the city.

In his statement, Brownsville Fire Chief Jarrett Sheldon expressed his gratitude to the Brownsville City Commission and the HUD for supporting the staff of the city government in securing the grant. The new vehicles will greatly expand the Fire Department’s off-road rescue capabilities, Sheldon added.

Category: Fire

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