About Us:

Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services supports the communities of Barton, Bloomington, Luke, Westernport, MD and Piedmont, WV. T.T.E.M.S averages over 1000-1500 calls per year and we are managed and operated by volunteer personnel. Funding for the department comes primarily from donations, payments for services and monies raised from an annual subscription drive.

T.T.E.M.S is a member of the Allegany-Garrett Fire/Rescue Association and the Maryland State Fire Association. We currently hold a seat on the Allegany County Fire/Rescue Board, which is appointed by the County Commissioners. Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services representative for the Fire/Rescue Board is the President for the current year. Our officers also actively participate with other committees such as the Medical Advisory Committee Allegany County Chiefs Association and other appointed committees on a local and regional level.

History:

Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services got it's start in 1974 with a different name: Tri-Towns Ambulance and Rescue Service. Initially, service was provided to the community through the use of the local Boal's Funeral Home ambulances. Eventually, with the aid of a Federal Government grant program, the Squad purchased two van-style ambulances. At the time, we had no garage to house the ambulances so they were parked in the City Parking Lot.

The first few years, the squad handled some 500-600 calls and provided only Basic Emergency Medical Care. When the Federal Grant money expired, the squad began conducting a door to door campaign to sell memberships for ambulance service and transport. As the Squad became more rooted, the need for better quarters and garage space was evident. The Squad rented space in the building at the corner of Main and Washington Streets (our current location). Doors were put in for a garage and rooms were converted to a dispatch office, bunkroom, kitchen & lounge. Eventually, the Squad purchased the building. It was renovated to add more office space, a meeting room, training room. Apartments were maintained on the second floor until the cost for repairs and maintenance out weighed income from the rentals. The second floor was eventually closed off. At the time, the squad was running about 1700 calls per year. Funding sources continued to be the annual subscription drive. Also at about this time, the State of Maryland began funding of several thousand dollars each year for equipment purchases (SB508). Allegany County also began to increase funding through the county appropriations.

In 1998, the service expanded again. The floods of "1996" destroyed much of the 1st floor area including equipment, supplies & furniture. Insurance, and a gracious grant from the Maryland State Fireman’s Association Emergency Assistance Trust Fund enabled the service to make the necessary repairs to rebuild the first floor. An additional bay was added in preparation for the addition of a third unit the service planned to acquire in the fall of 1998. The service continued to receive funding from the Annual Subscription Program. In addition, the Maryland State 508 Grant was increased, as well as the Allegany County appropriations. To further supplement the funding for support of the service, the service now enlists a third party billing service who recovers funding from sources such as insurance carriers, Medicare, patients, etc. This was necessary due to the increased cost of operation. Renovation of the second floor provided increased office space, more spacious sleeping quarters, a large Meeting/Training Room, and facilities to accommodate the volunteers who spend thousands of volunteer hours on duty at the station.

Move To The Future:

The service now operates 3 Paramedic equipped ambulances. One is a 4-Wheel Drive Ford F-350 Modular unit and the other is a International 5-ton. All purchased from PL Customs.  Recently, T.T.E.M.S. added to its fleet, a 2003 Horton E-450 Type III Ambulance. All of these units are completed with the most advanced Life Support Equipment, to include Lifepak 12 Cardiac Monitoring, Thumper Mechanical CPR Devices, and NIBP/EtCo2 monitoring.  In addition, the service operates a Ford Explorer Paramedic Chase Unit which is fully equipped with a compliment of BLS and ALS equipment and supplies. As well as a Ford Crown Victoria EMS Chiefs car that is also equipped with BLS equipment and supplies. All units that are operated by this department is Certified by the Voluntary Ambulance Inspection Committee through the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems.

Change is not new to Tri-Towns, the service has always maintained a cutting edge mentality. In keeping with that tradition, more change looms on the horizon...the name has been changed to Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services to better reflect the type of service provided. Active providers and trained drivers have been issued a full ensemble of firefighter quality structural protective equipment. Much needed protection for those working on car accidents, hazmat incidents, etc. To further provide top of the line protection to the members, Tri-Towns has received ten (10) Scott 4.5 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. The look of Tri-Towns EMS is changing as well.