Is Piedmont Medic One Foundation affiliated with Seattle’s Medic One Foundation?

No. But one of our founding director’s – Tom Litchford – previously served on their board of directors. Seattle/King County’s Medic One pre-hospital emergency care system is regarded as one of the premier pre-hospital care systems not only in the United States but around the globe. Their paramedics are considered some of the most highly skilled in the world.
The Piedmont Medic One Foundation is modeled after the Medic One Foundation – its mission, its philosophies, its experience, and its learnings – with the goal of improving our local region’s pre-hospital emergency care systems quality and standards of care.

Don’t taxes cover all the costs for providing EMS services?

Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, rely on county and/or town approved budgets and subsequent property taxes, and individual donations, to fund operating costs, including vehicles, paramedic salaries, equipment, and supplies. Unlike EMS services, the Piedmont Medic One Foundation receives no government or tax-based support. We are supported solely by charitable contributions.
In essence, the rural Virginia counties and towns we serve provide the wherewithal to put the paramedics on the street, but the Foundation provides the extra financial support necessary to train paramedics to the highest level possible and research new methods of patient care that make our EMS systems superior programs.

Who provides EMS services?

In general, each county/town triages calls through 911 dispatch centers. Our rural counties have combination career and volunteer systems that dispatch Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to provide Basic Life Support (BLS). In the event of a critical or life-threatening injury or illness, medic units staffed by paramedics or critical care paramedics are also dispatched to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS). In contrast to EMTs, paramedics and critical care paramedics can administer a variety of drugs, open and secure airways, provide ventilator support, and perform other, more technically advanced emergency medical care.
For example, in Fauquier County, EMS services are provided by the Fauquier County Fire Rescue System including career and volunteer personnel staffing ten stations throughout the county:
Company 1 – Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company
Company 2 – Remington Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department
Company 3 – Marshall Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department
Company 4 – The Plains Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company
Company 5 – Upperville (Fauquier County Fire Rescue)
Company 7 – Catlett Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Company 8 – Goldvein Volunteer Fire Department
Company 10 – New Baltimore Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company
Company 11 – Orlean Volunteer Fire Rescue
Company 13 – Lois Volunteer Fire Department
Other counties such as Clarke, Culpeper, and Rappahannock deploy similar combination career and volunteer systems.

What is the geographical impact of the Foundation’s support?

Piedmont Medic One Foundation funds the education and training of paramedics and EMTs, equipment grants, research, and CPR/AED training for the general public for the following counties: Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.
Foundation-funded research potentially influences pre-hospital emergency care through-out Virginia and around the world through shared protocols and published research findings.

How can I contribute to the Piedmont Medic One Foundation?

Please visit our donation page for detailed information regarding the many ways you can contribute to the Piedmont Medic One Foundation.