FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare        
harriscountyesd11.gov      
Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808     

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare Medical Director Dr Jay Kovar Explains:     
What Kind of Injuries Are Common in the ER During the Holidays?

Spring, TX December 22, 2025 :  The holidays are full of joy but they also bring a spike in ER visits. From Christmas tree and candle fires to winter frostbite, falls and stress-related issues, our crews see it all.

Harris County Medical Director Dr. Jay Kovar explains in this month’s “Hey Dr. K” video series how to avoid the common problems he sees in ERs during the holidays. 

“This month we partnered with Cypress Creek Fire Department to show just how quickly a dried-out Christmas tree can become a blowtorch in your living room. We also address the importance of the proper smoke detector for different parts of your home.  Keep your entire family safe this year and watch this video.”  

Dr. Kovar is here to answer your questions as well, just call 281-524-7660 for more information. As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, remember to call 911.     

About ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare       

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest ambulance-only Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.      

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, Public Information Officer 346-226-8808 

Thanksgiving is a busy time for emergency rooms, with some sources reporting an estimated 36,000 visits on Thanksgiving Day in one year. Statistics and doctor estimates suggest ER visits can spike by 5-12% during the holiday period, due to issues like food poisoning, alcohol-related incidents, burns, cuts, and an increase in other seasonal illnesses like the flu.

Harris County Medical Director Dr. Jay Kovar explains in this month’s “Hey Dr. K” video series how to avoid the common problems he sees in ERs during the holidays for people and their pets. 

“This month we partnered with Cypress Creek Fire Department to address not just the common food borne illnesses and cuts we see in the ER every year but also the burn-related injuries caused by the increasing popularity of frying turkeys,” says Dr. Kovar.  “We also address common gastrointestinal poisoning veterinary ERs see from people who feed pets from the table.  Keep your entire family safe this year and watch this video.”  

Dr. Kovar is here to answer your questions as well, just call 281-524-7660 for more information. As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, remember to call 911.     

About ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare       

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest ambulance-only Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.      

###  

Contact: Miranda Sevcik, Public Information Officer 346-226-8808  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare      
harriscountyesd11.gov    
Contact: Miranda Sevcik, ESD 11 Public Information Officer 346-226-8808   

Spring, TX October 6, 2025: Every second counts when lives are on the line. This month in our Hey Dr. K video series, Dr. Jay Kovar, Medical Director for Harris County ESD 11, breaks down Texas laws about how and when to yield to ambulances.

Learn what Texas law says about yielding to emergency vehicles, when to pull over and when to stop, and learn the common mistakes drivers make and how to avoid them.

“Yielding properly to ambulances traveling with lights and sirens can save lives,” says Dr. Kovar.  “According to Texas Transportation Code § 545.156, failure to yield can result in serious fines, penalties, and delays in emergency response. Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution and learn exactly what to do when lights and sirens are behind you.”

Dr. Kovar is here to answer your questions as well, just call 281-524-7660 for more information. As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, remember to call 911.   
About ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare     

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest ambulance-only Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 calls a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.    

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Contact: Miranda Sevcik, Public Information Officer 346-226-8808 

Spring, TX May 27, 2025:  It’s officially summer, the kids are out of school and looking for things to do.  One of the most popular activities on hot sunny days is to go exploring in the woods, neighborhood walkways and bodies of water.  This is unfortunately also a popular place for snakes to take refuge from brutal Texas heat.

This month Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare Medical Director Dr. Jay Kovar is asked by Spring resident and business owner Joe Morris what parents need to know about the kinds of snakes they can encounter in Southeast Texas,  how to avoid them and what to do if you or someone close to you experiences a venomous bite.  

“Summer snakebites are not uncommon calls for us here at Harris County ESD 11 EMS,” says Dr. Kovar.  “I am joined this month by preeminent snake specialist Dr. Spencer Greene, himself an emergency director of toxicology at HCA Houston Healthcare – Kingwood. Dr. Greene explains the kinds of snakes to look out for in our area, how to stay safe from bites and what to do if you do experience a snake bite.”

Dr. Kovar is here to answer your questions as well, just call 281-524-7660 for more information. As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, remember to call 911. 

About Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare   

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 call a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work. 

Spring, TX April 28, 2025: Summer is right around the corner and with the heat comes the inescapable lure of water and the danger of drowning. Pool safety is important but many people don’t consider bathtubs, buckets, and toilets as just as just as much of a threat, but they should.

This month Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare Medical Director Dr. Jay Kovar is asked by the D. Bradley McWilliams Cypress Creek YMCA to share what we need to know about drowning prevention and water safety.

“Drowning is the aspiration of water into the lungs that impedes our ability to get Oxygen into our system and into our brains and that results in neurologic injury and cardiac arrest,” says Dr. Kovar.

“Almost 80% of the drownings in the United States are male, a third of those are children and a third of those are fatal and a third of those have some serious neurological impairments if they should survive.”

Dr. Kovar also addresses different kinds of drowning dangers, what bystanders should do when they encounter a drowning victim, when to call an ambulance and what to expect when medics arrive. Learn how drowning can cause serious neurological damage and in what age groups certain kinds of drowning are most common. Most importantly, watch and learn how you can prevent drowning from happening at all.

To watch the full video click here and subscribe to our YouTube channel:

Dr. Kovar is here to answer your questions as well, just call 281-524-7660 for more information.

As always, if you are experiencing an emergency, remember to call 911.

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About ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas. ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 call a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care.

The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.

Spring, TX April 1, 2025:  In our monthly You Tube video series, “Hey Dr. K!” Medical Director Doctor Jay Kovar answers community members’ questions regarding emergency health concerns.  Dr. Kovar is not only the Medical Director at Harris County ESD 11, he also serves as medical director for PHI Air Medical Texas and holds the role of Medical Director for EMS Education programs at Lone Star CyFair/Montgomery since 2007.   Dr. Kovar is a sought-after lecturer at local, state, national, and international Emergency Medicine and EMS symposiums, and has contributed to various journal articles.

Dr. Kovar explains March is head injury awareness month. Traumatic brain injury goes from mild headache to severe changes in alertness, seizures and even death.  Concussions are the most common form of brain injury, this can lead to changes in neurologic function, changes in behavior, confusion, nausea,  memory, even depression and personality changes.

“People who suspect they may have a concussion should seek out medical advice and care through EMS immediately,” adds Dr. Kovar. “EMS will come out and evaluate you and do a series of tests to take a look at exactly what kind of injury you had and what the severity may be.  It will then be determined if further testing is needed.  CAT scans are a test which are normally available in most emergency rooms.  CAT scans can determine the kind of injury you experienced and evaluate actions that should be taken moving forward.”

To watch the full video click here and subscribe to our You Tube channel:

About ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare 

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 call a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.

Spring, TX March 12, 2025:  In new a monthly You Tube video series, “Hey Dr. K!” Medical Director Doctor Jay Kovar answers community members’ questions regarding emergency health concerns.  Dr. Kovar is not only the Medical Director at Harris County ESD 11, he also serves as medical director for PHI Air Medical Texas and holds the role of Medical Director for EMS Education programs at Lone Star CyFair/Montgomery since 2007.   Dr. Kovar is a sought-after lecturer at local, state, national, and international Emergency Medicine and EMS symposiums, and has contributed to various journal articles.

Dr. Kovar explains stroke is best defined as an abrupt change in neurological function. Those functions can be changes in alertness, sensation or movement abilities.  Changes in awareness, communication ability, vision or slurred speech, numbness, and balance problems are possible signs of an acute stroke. Causes of stroke range from blocked arteries due to clot formation or even a potential rupture of blood vessels to the brain. Certain kinds of stroke are painless and virtually unrecognizable to the person having the stroke.

“This is why it is so important for a person to call 911 immediately if they are experiencing symptoms of a stroke or suspect someone near them is, “says Dr. Kovar.  “Stroke is one of the leading causes of the death in the United States and in the last 30 years major advancements have been made treating and even reversing the results of a stroke. But an assessment must be made as quickly as possible by medical professionals so they can determine the cause of the symptoms and connect the patient with the right resources.”

To watch the full video click here and subscribe to our You Tube channel:

About ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare 

ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers a 177 square mile area of northern Harris County with over 700,000 residents, the largest Emergency Service District in the state of Texas.  ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare receives over 65,000 call a year and consistently ranks among the best EMS services in the country for speed of response, patient satisfaction and quality of care. The Harris County Emergency Services District 11 Communication Center, known as Control, is recognized as an ACE Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. This prestigious designation highlights our commitment to excellence in emergency dispatch services. As an ACE-accredited agency, we enjoy increased visibility in community service, enhanced support in litigation and liability management, and improved recruitment and retention, affirming the value and impact of our team’s work.