HOUSTON -- For the second year in a row, the number of murders in Houston has declined. 

HPD believes the extra academy classes and overtime has put more of their men and women on the streets, resulting in a safer city. But one veteran homicide detective said there's another reason they are seeing less murders.

He said it has to do with Houston’s EMS and their medical skills.

“Unfortunately, there is more violence going on. But we have an efficient system between the police department, the fire department, the hospitals and the trauma centers, so we're doing a better job of keeping those folks alive,” said Dr. David Persse, Director of Houston EMS.

In 2006, there were 376 homicides within the city limits. In 2007, the number dropped to 347, and in 2008, it dropped again to 292.

Dr. Persse said its not new technology that's helping EMS. Instead, they have gone back to the basics.

“For a number of years, there were all these gadgets that were being tried in EMS. Houston did some solid research that showed the gadgets were really not making a difference. What made the difference was getting victims to a skilled surgeon as quickly as possible,” said Persse.

Persse said he remembers a case where a woman was stabbed several times.

“She crawled through the parking lot and someone saw her all bloody and called 911. Her last memory before she went unconscious was hearing the siren, and then the airbreaks. She said when she heard the airbreaks going on the fire truck, she knew she was going to be okay,” said Persse.

Persse said that a few days later she woke up and was able to tell police her ex-boyfriend was the suspect.