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STRATFORD EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Stratford EMS? Stratford EMS was established in 1977 as a municipal department within the Town of Stratford, charged with providing quality prehospital treatment and transport for the citizens of the town. Members provide coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Members are certified as EVOs (Emergency Vehicle Operator), MRTs (Medical Response Technician) EMTs (Emergency Medical Technician), EMT-Is (Emergency Medical Technician - Intermediate), and Licensed Paramedics. Are all of the members of Stratford EMS paid employees of the Town? No. Stratford EMS currently employs a full-time paid Chief, secretary, and four paramedics to ensure continuous 24x7x365 coverage. There are also per diem EMTs and paramedics. However, all other members (well over 100) are volunteers, including our Captains, Lieutenants, and members of our Special Operations Division and Medical Bike Unit. How can I become a member of Stratford EMS? Please contact the administrative offices of Stratford EMS at (203) 385-4060 or send an e-mail message to Chief Donna Best for information on joining the service, including training and certification opportunities. Additional information, including a membership application, is available on our recruitment page. Does Stratford EMS bill for its services? Yes, the Town of Stratford does bill for EMS. Utilizing a third-party billing agency, the Town will bill the patient's insurance provider. All funds received are placed into an EMS enterprise fund, and all funds are utilized for the operations and improvements to Stratford EMS. Since Stratford EMS began billing insurance providers, the entire EMS system in Stratford is fully self-sufficient. Recently, I called 911 and requested an ambulance. Within a few minutes, there were two ambulances, a police car, and a fire engine in front of my house. What's going on? The Stratford Fire Department is a "first-responder" for medical calls in the Town of Stratford. As such, in certain circumstances, they will be dispatched to medical calls in the community along with the ambulance. Depending upon the circumstances, at time another EMS vehicle (a van or even another ambulance) may be sent to bring the advanced life support care of a paramedic to the patient. In some instances, the Stratford Police Department is also dispatched to help ensure the safety of our crews. A paramedic? What is a paramedic? I thought all of the people in the ambulance are paramedics? An ambulance crew consists of at least two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or one Medical Response Technician (MRT) and one EMT. One of individuals may be the driver, or there might be a third crew member who drives the vehicle. A paramedic is a more highly trained prehospital care provider than an EMT. The paramedic can administer medications and provide other interventions and skills that the EMT cannot provide. Recently, I called 911 and requested an ambulance. When the crew arrived, some of them were very young! Are they old enough to be treating me? Yes. In fact, they are members of Explorer Post 4911, which is affiliated with Stratford EMS. This organization provides youths between the ages of 14 and 21 with the opportunity to learn prehospital emergency care and rescue skills in a social setting. Members of Explorer Post 4911 can ride on the ambulance as observers, as EMT students, or as state-certified EMTs. When I am driving around the town, I see an ambulance (or another emergency vehicle) driving down the street with lights flashing and a siren sounding. What should I do if one approaches me? Quite simply... "When you see the lights, pull to the right!" Emergency vehicle operators are trained to cautiously drive around traffic on the left. Do not turn your vehicle to the left side. Occassionally, I see a vehicle driving around town with flashing green lights. What does the green light signify? Why do they stop at traffic lights? The green light is a "courtesy light", signifying an EMS volunteer is responding to an emergency. Our volunteer officers and members of our Special Operations Division use these courtesy lights. When a vehicle is displaying this light, you should pull to the right and allow the vehicle to pass you. Because it is only a courtesy light, even when displaying a flashing green light, the volunteer must stop at all stop signs and [red] traffic lights and cannot disobey any other traffic laws. What hospital(s) will Stratford EMS transport me to in the event of an emergency? Stratford EMS will only transport patients to Bridgeport Hospital (Bridgeport, CT), St. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport, CT), and Milford Hospital (Milford, CT). Stratford EMS is only permitted to transport patients to the Emergency Department of the hospital. And unlike commercial ambulance services, we are not permitted to bring patients home. What is the Stratford Volunteer EMS Association? The Stratford Volunteer EMS Association, Inc. was established in 1978 to further the education and social aspects of the members of Stratford Volunteer Emergency Medical Service. Whereas Stratford EMS is a department of the Town of Stratford, the "Association" is a separate, not-for-profit organization that provides training programs and services for the members of Stratford EMS. I have more questions... how can I get them answered? Please feel free to contact our administrative offices at (203) 385-4060 or send an e-mail to Chief Donna Best and we will be happy to answer your questions and address your concerns.
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