The Business of Stratford EMS

Stratford Star  |  09/05/14  |  Kevin Giasullo, EMS Administrator

Four questions we’re often asked are “Where does your money come from?”; “Is Stratford Emergency Services Paid?”; “How busy is EMS?” and “Can I volunteer?”

1. SEMS is an “Enterprise Fund” which means that it operates directly from funds generated from billing insurance companies.

SEMS is not subsidized by the Town of Stratford. In fact, SEMS pays the Town of Stratford for the assistance of certain departments like human resources, public works, etc. to maintain its operation in alignment with the town’s operating guidelines.

SEMS bills insurance companies for the services it provides based on rates set by the State of Connecticut. The insurance carriers pay SEMS, and SEMS operates off of that revenue. SEMS does not request subsidy from the town.

2. Stratford EMS boasts over 100 volunteers, 10 full time staff (paramedics, supervisors and administration) and approximately 30 ‘per diem’ EMT and paramedics. This setup allows EMS to dynamically respond to Stratford’s needs. In fact 2013 was one of our best years of volunteerism with over 25,000 volunteer hours logged by our staff.

3. Stratford EMS responds to approximately 6,500 emergencies each year. This places us as the fourth busiest EMS in Fairfield County — behind only Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk). Stratford has two main highways running through it, a fixed-wing and a rotor-wing airport, and a rail station. Stratford boasts one of the longest coastlines and one of the largest town-owned forests in the state. There are two skilled nursing facilities in town.

All of this contributes to a very diverse call volume which SEMS is always prepared to respond to.

4. We are always recruiting volunteers into our organization. If you are state of Connecticut certified EMR/EMT/AEMT / Paramedic visit stratfordems.org. If you have no certification, SEMS periodically offers public Emergency Vehicle Operator courses as a opportunity to volunteer with SEMS and give back to the community.

Stratford EMS maintains its fleet of six state-of-the-art ambulances and equipment to continue its strong commitment to providing the highest quality EMS service to the residents of Stratford.

To learn more visit: stratfordems.org.