AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Collaborative Care Communication Center, known as “C4,” at Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) came in handy during last week’s ice storm and the extended power outages.

The program caters to callers who need help but don’t need to get taken to the emergency room in an ambulance.

On Twitter, the agency posted about the long hours that medics worked over the course of the last week and a half. The C4 program helped streamline responses and keep medics available for the highest-priority calls.

The agency said it got a lot of calls from people who needed power for medical reasons.

KXAN is speaking further with ATCEMS this afternoon and will update this story with more details on the calls medics responded to and how the agency is preparing for the incoming cold weather.