Ambulance and Chair EMS’ New Facility Shortens Response Times for Washington County

By Andrew Wilson

Shortening response times in a medical emergency can mean the difference between life and death.

With the opening of Ambulance and Chair Emergency Medical Services’ new facility in Canton Township, residents of the western part of Washington County will see their emergency response times greatly reduced.

“Our new facility in Canton Township is a state-of-the-art facility for EMS,” said Larry Pollock, director of Ambulance and Chair EMS. “We have two ambulance crews and a paramedic response truck that work around the clock. This location so close to Rte. 40 and Interstate 70 will shorten our response times greatly.”

Plans for this new location were about two years in the making. Pollock says that they began searching for a new location in April 2020, and were looking in Buffalo Township as well as Canton and North Franklin. But for all the searching, it was a cracked windshield that led them to the Canton Township location.

“We needed to have the windshield on one of our vehicles repaired, so we took it to this glass repair shop,” said Pollock. “We noticed that the building was for sale and thought it could be renovated to accommodate us.”

The building, which also houses Ambulance and Chair EMS’ business office, was renovated to include sleeping quarters, a lounge area, and a full kitchen, amenities that are a must for crews that will be on duty 24/7. Additionally, such a top-notch facility can be used as a recruiting tool, too.

“There is a shortage of EMS personnel right now,” Pollock said. “The new facility will help us attract and retain quality staff.”

In addition to serving the community by responding to medical emergencies, he says the new location will allow Ambulance and Chair EMS to be more visible.

“The new building has a storefront environment, which we didn’t have before, and we want to take advantage of that,” he said. “We want to be part of the community and emphasize prevention.”

To that end, the plan is to offer CPR classes for the community several times a year.

“I recommend that every household should have at least one person capable of performing CPR in an emergency,” says Pollock, who added that if CPR can be started before the EMTs arrive it can make a huge difference. “Data from the American Heart Association shows that even an increase of two or three minutes can cause bad outcomes for a patient.”

The new facility had an open house on Saturday, May 21, and the staff were able to demonstrate CPR, Narcan, and bleeding control techniques for those who visited. Pollock says they have enjoyed great community support from the Canton Township supervisors and residents and looks forward to that continuing. One way for the public to support Ambulance and Chair EMS is by becoming a member.

“We have a membership drive every year,” said Pollock. “Many people think if they have health insurance that will cover ambulance services, but it doesn’t. People can be left with a large bill for ambulance services, but by becoming a member, you receive a 50 percent discount on any out-of-pocket costs that you incur.”

Membership also helps to support the efforts of the ambulance service to be present in the community, too, which Pollock hopes to repeat soon if another new location can be found to create a similar facility in Washington or South Strabane. Great plans, but it takes community support to realize those plans.

“The money we get from insurance doesn’t cover all of the services we provide for the community,” he said. “Membership fees make up a big portion of our budget each year. We appreciate the support we receive and encourage everyone to become a member.”

For anyone who is interested in a career in Emergency Medical Services, Ambulance and Chair can help with training. Ambulance and Chair Emergency Medical Services (ACEMS) offers three to four EMT classes annually. To discuss a career in EMS, call the ACEMS business office at (724) 225-8050, extension 3, and a team member can answer questions you may have to get you enrolled in our courses.

Ambulance & Chair EMS, Inc. has five stations serving 34 Municipalities in Washington County. They can be found online at www.ambulanceandchair.com, and can be reached by calling (724) 225-8050.