Is the Bruen Rescue squad a volunteer or a paid organization
The Bruen Rescue Squad is a combination of a volunteer and paid agency. BRS's board of directors is run exclusively by volunteer members. To raise our level of services and improve response times, we have paid professional EMTs and paramedics in-house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This has allowed us to keep our response times and level of care among the best in the county.
What is the difference between a paramedic and an EMT?
EMTs are trained to provide Basic Life Support (BLS), which includes basic first aid for illness and injury, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and basic airway management. Paramedics bring the emergency room into your living room or the scene of an emergency. Paramedics are trained to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS), which includes all BLS skills, plus advanced airway management protocols, interpretation of hospital grade 12 Lead ECGs, and the administration of life-saving medications by injection or IV lines. About two-thirds of our calls require a paramedic. Our paramedic and EMT staff are paid professionals.
If this is a non-profit corporation, why do you bill for your services?
We bring the emergency room to your bedside or to the scene of a remote accident with advanced equipment and highly trained personnel in a prompt manor which comes at a significant cost. In order to offset our impact on taxpayers, we bill for services rendered just like your doctor’s office or any non-profit hospital.
Ambulance transport is covered under most insurance packages. Under Medicare guidelines, we must make every effort to collect all unpaid fees. This is to ensure a ‘standard practice’ of collection is in place, as opposed to showing favoritism to any specific individual.
What do do when you receive a bill
- We were unable to get your insurance information at the time of transport. Please call or send us your insurance information www.BruenRescue.org/insurance and we will submit a claim to your insurance for payment.
- We submitted a claim to your insurance company and they will be sending the check directly to you. When you receive the check submit it to us for payment.
- You have no insurance and you receive a bill for the ambulance transport. Please call us! We will assist you with payment options.