Foxwall EMS Chief Josh Worth leaves to take job in West Virginia

From a new bike crew to increased assistance for opioid users, Foxwall’s Josh Worth worked to build stronger relationships with Lower Valley residents during his three years as chief.

Worth announced last week that he was leaving the Fox Chapel-based group for an out-of-state job. His last day was Aug. 1.

He will become Director of Operations at Monongalia Emergency Medical Services in Morgantown, W.Va.

“I’ll miss the strong sense of pride and ownership that Foxwall EMS shares with the communities we serve,” said Worth, a Penn Hills native.

“I was accepted as part of the community, and I will always treasure that.”

Assistant Chief Tony Cuda will serve in the interim.

Founded in 1978, Foxwall provides advanced life support ambulance service to Fox Chapel and Aspinwall, as well as mutual aid to neighboring communities. The crew responds to more than 1,000 calls a year.

Worth joined Foxwall in late 2017 after having served as director of education and clinical affairs at Susquehanna Valley EMS in Lancaster.

His early goals included recruiting volunteers and helping educate people on the region’s dire opioid crisis. To that end, he quickly joined the state’s “Leave Behind” program to combat overdoses, with crews expected to leave naloxone nasal spray for patients who refuse hospital treatment.

Also during his time, Foxwall earned accolades for instituting a bike crew to help boost response time and increase community relations. Crew members pedal daily through Aspinwall and also patrol large-scale events in Fox Chapel.

Worth felt it was important to get the providers into the community to mix with the residents they serve. The move also gets them into the community faster than an ambulance can, he said.

At that time, Foxwall was the only EMS in the North Hills area to utilize a daily bike patrol, Worth said.

Ed Brunins, Foxwall president, said the board is proud of the leadership shown by Worth.

“He has improved Foxwall in many ways, and we thank him for his service,” Brunins said.

Just last month, Foxwall was chosen for top accolades from the American Heart Association for its efforts in treating people who suffer heart attacks.

“When I started, we were a small, largely volunteer service, and in the last three years we have added additional paid staff and purchased state-of-the-art equipment,” Worth said. “We also added new methods of service delivery.

“I am most proud of everyone I was able to work with. Their dedication to our service area and passion for providing the best patient care possible has helped Foxwall become the service it is today.”