Delmar-Bethlehem EMS

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS (The Delmar Volunteer Ambulance Service) provides emergency ambulance service in the Town of Bethlehem, in Albany County, New York.

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS will be the product of the operational merger of Delmar EMS and Bethlehem EMS, which will occur on January 1, 2013. A full corporate merger is underway and will be completed during 2013.
Delmar-Bethlehem EMS will be the emergency ambulance service for the communities of Delmar, Elsmere, Glenmont, Selkirk, Slingerlands and South Bethlehem.

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS (The Delmar Volunteer Ambulance Service) provides emergency ambulance service for the communities of Delmar, Elsmere, Glenmont, Selkirk, Slingerlands, and South Bethlehem.

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS uses a hybrid staffing model to meet the needs of the community. Delmar-Bethlehem EMS is almost all volunteer from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am every night. More than 50 volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Advanced EMTs, Paramedics, and firefighter/drivers use seven ambulances to respond to calls for medical assistance. Between the hours of 6:00 am and 6:00 pm, paid EMTs supplement the volunteers by staffing three Delmar-Bethlehem EMS ambulances.

Each 911 call in our community is answered with a dual response -- a Delmar-Bethlehem EMS ambulance and a fly car-based Albany County Paramedic. The crews join together to provide care on calls requiring advanced life support. Delmar-Bethlehem EMS is also an intermediate advanced life support agency, which allows our members to bring more advanced care to our community.

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS is supported by a combination of third party billing revenue and tax funds provided by the local Ambulance Districts. The ambulance tax paid by residents to support Delmar EMS was reduced from 2009-2012. The ambulance tax that will support Delmar-Bethlehem EMS will be substantially reduced in 2013.

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS has a history of being an innovator. Delmar-Bethlehem EMS was one of the first agencies in the area to implement a paperless electronic medical record for all patients. Delmar-Bethlehem EMS has implemented the LUCAS 2 automated CPR compression system to improve the care of persons suffering cardiac arrest.

Delmar-Bethlehem EMS responds to approximatley 3,000 calls for medical assistance each year and works in partnership with the local volunteer Fire Departments and Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

New volunteers are always welcome. If you want to become an EMT and can dedicate from 6 to 12 hours per week to being available for emergencies, contact the EMS Chief at (518) 475-7310 or email DelmarEMSChief@gmail.com

2013 Delmar-Bethlehem EMS Officers

Steven Kroll, Chief Operating Officer
Jennifer Kerr, Assistant Chief Operating Officer/Captain
Chris Palmieri, Lieutenant/Operations Officer
Bob Geurtze, Lieutenant/Operations Officer
Charles Giglia, Lieutenant/Operations Officer
Joseph Myers, Lieutenant/Operations Officer
Heidi Cornell, Lieutenant/Operations Officer
Matthew Wiley, Lieutenant/Operations Officer
Christopher Smith, ALS Coordinator
Chaplain, Pastor Mark Mueller
David Poll, Administrator
South Station Superintendant, Stephen Wieland
Quartermaster, Phil Robare
Assistant Quartermaster, Tom Flynn

2012 Board of Directors Leadership

David Scoons, President of the Board
Christopher Smith, Vice President
Stephen Rinaldi, Secretary