ABOUT STRATFORD EMS
2005 National EMS Service of the Year
SEMS 40th Anniversary Logo
Stratford EMS is a Third Service, municipal, emergency medical service and is the Primary Service Area responder at the Basic and Advanced Life Support level for the Town of Stratford, CT.
The Stratford Emergency Medical Service (SEMS) was established on December 17, 1977 by the Town of Stratford (Connecticut) to provide high quality, emergency medical services. SEMS provides 24 hour coverage, 7 days a week, 365 days a year primarily within the 19.9 sq miles that makeup the Town of Stratford and surrounding areas. The Town has a population of 51,384 (Apr 2010). SEMS responds to approximately 7,000 calls each year. Stratford has one of the longest coastlines (with beautiful beaches) and largest forests in Connecticut. It also has two airports, two major highways and Metro North rail coming through the south end of town. This beautiful and diverse geography gave rise to Stratford’s motto, “Offering More from Forest to Shore”.
SEMS is a “mixed” agency employing both paid and volunteer staff to ensure Stratford’s emergency medical needs are met. We employ approximately 50 paid staff members and over 100 volunteers. Our volunteers cover over 21-25,000 hours a year on average.
The guiding principle of the organization is to provide quality patient care and safe emergency transportation to the sick and injured. Stratford EMS is more than an ambulance service; we are an innovator in the field of emergency medical services. Stratford EMS was one of the first services in the nation to adopt and use the life saving semi-automatic external defibrillators, serving as the pilot site for the state of Connecticut in 1986. In 1987, SEMS established it’s “Special Operations Division (SOD) to provide services during mass casualty incidences. In 1996, SEMS became the first volunteer paramedic service in New England. We continue to provide volunteer paramedic level, advanced life support care today. In 1997, SEMS established one of the nation’s first medical bike units. In 2005, SEMS was named the EMS Service of the Year by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians and in 2007 received the Governor’s Award for EMS.
SEMS has continued it’s tradition of progressive and innovative service provision. In 2013, SEMS became one of the first EMS agencies in Connecticut to begin using iPad Mobile Data terminals to track EMS units,
FT Medic Michael Paoletto readies his ambulance
provide medical information about the scene and patient while enroute to the call and manage EMS information more accurately. SEMS also uses iPad technology for it’s patient record interface. SEMS was also the first agency in the Sponsor Hospital Council of Greater Bridgeport area to deploy and use the Lucas II automatic chest compression device. SEMS takes safety very seriously and has implemented the Stryker PowerPro stretchers and PowerLoad System which improves safety for both the patient and provider.
In 2015, SEMS and it’s staff received 5 awards for performance including the American Heart Associations Mission Lifeline Silver Award and again, the Governors Award for an EMS agency that has Positively Impacted the EMS System.This continued in 2016 and 17. SEMS is committed to providing high quality services to the residents of Stratford.
SEMS is an “enterprise fund” department. This means that Stratford EMS operates off of the monies generated from billing insurance companies.
