Narberth Ambulance appoints New Assistant Medical Director

Narberth, PA - Danielle Levine, MD, has been appointed assistant medical director of Narberth Ambulance, where she will work to expand research, training and recruitment efforts for Narberth Ambulance, which provides pre-hospitalization medical services and transport to more than 10,000 calls per year in Lower Merion and Haverford Townships, as well as the Narberth, Conshohocken and West Conshohocken boroughs. The organization’s coverage area serves in excess of 150,000 residents, businesses and visitors 24/7, 365 days a year.

Dr. Levine, who resides in Lower Merion, started with Narberth Ambulance as a volunteer EMT in 2012. She continued her volunteer efforts while attending medical school as well as during her post-graduate residency training, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. In 2020, her residency elective plans were shifted due to the Covid-19 pandemic and she remained in the Philadelphia region. She decided to pivot her work to concentrate on first-responder efforts with Narberth Ambulance. “Since my elective plans included traveling, they were ultimately cancelled, and I began as assistant medical director in April, 2020. That position became official in 2022,” explains Dr. Levine.

Born and raised in Monmouth County, NJ, Dr. Levine’s interest in EMS began at a young age. She started as a volunteer with her hometown’s first aid squad, where she completed an EMT course in 2003. Since then, Dr. Levine has consistently worked in EMS in both volunteer and paid settings, doing 911 response, events, and routine non-emergency transports.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University in 2009. She then moved to Philadelphia for a career as a high school biology teacher, simultaneously receiving her Masters of Education from Arcadia University in 2011. Levine went on to graduate from Sidney Kimmel Medical College with her medical degree in 2017. Next, she completed a residency in emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in 2020 followed by a fellowship in EMS at Yale-New Haven Hospital in 2021.

Not only does Dr. Levine enjoy the medical supervisory role of her new position with Narberth Ambulance, she shares the service of helping the community is the greatest joy. “The exhilaration I feel when I can be the first-point of care for people and the adrenaline rush is so rewarding,” she says. “Knowing that we can see the patient as soon as they need care offers up the best opportunity to assist them. I love the first line of care.”

In addition to holding the position with Narberth Ambulance, Dr. Levine currently works as an emergency medicine attending physician at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. As a female EMT and physician, she is proud to be a role model for other women. “If you love going on ambulance calls, stick with it,” she shares. “There are both male and female allies that would love to have females in the field.”

She shares that her experience volunteering as an EMS for over 10 years has been a great fit for her role as an ER doctor. “It’s an enormous privilege providing care,” she adds. Dr. Levine is very grateful for her time with Narberth Ambulance, and explains how the internal education, on the job training, and respect and comraderies among the staff and volunteers has been a springboard for her success.

To that end, the dedication of the staff and volunteers of Narberth Ambulance is pivotal to the care of the community, and because Narberth Ambulance is not funded by tax payer dollars, they heavily rely on donations to continue its much-needed work and services.

Less than 1% of its annual operating expenses are provided through the municipalities that Narberth Ambulance serves.

Dr. Levine remains steadfast to her commitment to be ready to respond to the 911 calls that Narberth Ambulance receives. She notes that obstetric emergencies, cardiac arrest issues and pediatric emergencies are among the most needed services, and both staff and volunteer training is consistently needed to address these and other medical needs. “I am really involved in clinical care and reviewing cases, and training and research continues to be a top priority,” she adds. Furthermore, a formal field review of services and goals for Narberth Ambulance will take place later this fall to better prepare for ongoing service calls. “This includes annual skills reviews, simulated cases, and more training,” adds Dr. Levine.

Looking ahead to 2023, Dr. Levine is anticipating a continued need for more targeted research and education toward both pediatric and obstetrics care. “We want to empower both our EMTs and paramedics with the skills, training and education they need to take on quality management and patient care,” she explains.

When not working, Dr. Levine enjoys hiking, camping and collecting maps. She also enjoys living near Philadelphia. “I really love the small-town charm of Lower Merion and the accessibility to Philly. There’s so much culture, great neighborhoods to discover and great places to eat. I really love Philly,” she says.