Harrisonburg Fire Department medical director earns prestigious certification

Dr. Peter Williams has recently earned board certification in emergency medical services through the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Williams has maintained a primary board certification in emergency medicine since 2010.

The American Board of Emergency Medicine certifies emergency physicians who meet its educational, professional standing, and examination standards. ABEM certification is sought and earned by emergency physicians on a voluntary basis. It represents physicians’ highest professional credential, reflecting that they have met an externally developed national standard.

Emergency physicians who participate in continuing certification demonstrate to the public that they are actively engaged in a program of continuous professional development that assists the physician in delivering the highest quality and most current patient care.

The examination for emergency medical services is offered every two years.

“Dr. Williams continues to demonstrate his commitment to this community by his investment in professional development as the Department’s Medical Director,” Fire Chief Matthew Tobia said. “We are fortunate to have a medical director whose vision for our EMT’s and paramedics to be on the cutting edge of care is matched by his own demonstrated investment.”

Dr. Williams holds a bachelor of science in health sciences from George Washington University and a doctor of medicine from the University of Virginia. Dr. Williams completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Maryland in Baltimore before coming to Harrisonburg in 2009.

Before becoming a physician, Dr. Williams served as a firefighter/paramedic with the Fairfax Fire Department.

As the designated provider of emergency medical services in the city, the Harrisonburg Fire Department is required to retain the services of a medical director. Dr. Williams works on a part-time basis providing quality assurance, clinical oversight and clinical expertise.

Cross-trained firefighters with medical certification operate under Dr. Williams’ license and provide life-saving care to the more than 51,000 residents of the city.

In 2020, the department handled more than 6,000 calls for service, approximately 68 percent of which were EMS-related. The department also partners with the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad to provide transport services when patients need to be taken to the emergency department.