What does your department do?

[tracyloo32]

what does you department do to raise money? i thought id start this so people could get some new fundraising ideas.

at my department we do boot drives, bake sales, bingo, and 50/50s.

 

[TransportJockey]

We collect money from our patients we transport.

 

[ResTech]

Tracy.... a large number who post here are anti-volunteer and think volunteers are holding back EMS progression so I'd be surprised if u get much useful feedback to your question.

Im from PA.... from my experiences the core of fundraising comes from an annual carnival and bingo. And intermixed are other events like Dollar Night which consists of a dollar to get in and all you can eat food and beer... all the money made comes from the bowls and gambling.

I believe a State legislator is proposing PA fire depts to be allowed to hold Texas Hold Em Tournaments for additional fundraising.

 

[harkj]

well our ambulance service gets money from pts but we do things like PRevents to get to know the community which also helps out

 

[mikie]

From experience

After I was Tx'd for b/s (school health center call 911*), a few weeks letter I got a 'thank you" follow up letter asking for a donation**. Pleasant letter, letter head, tax deductible, etc.

*Mixed Paid/Volly
**I personally didn't

Good luck!

 

[medic_texas]

I wonder how billing with be once Obama screws up healthcare (worse than what it is now).

 

[Sasha]

Steal from hospitals and resell the blankets, sandwiches, and misc supplies on the street.

 

[subliminal1284]

Tracy.... a large number who post here are anti-volunteer and think volunteers are holding back EMS progression so I'd be surprised if u get much useful feedback to your question.

Im from PA.... from my experiences the core of fundraising comes from an annual carnival and bingo. And intermixed are other events like Dollar Night which consists of a dollar to get in and all you can eat food and beer... all the money made comes from the bowls and gambling.

I believe a State legislator is proposing PA fire depts to be allowed to hold Texas Hold Em Tournaments for additional fundraising.

In a way I guess I could somehow see how they are holding it back, because with volunteer departments there is no incentive for the counties to find funding for a county run department with better equipment. But I do agree the bitterness towards volunteers is uncalled for.

 

[daedalus]

We bill our patients for services provided.... *cough* the same thing doctors and hospitals do...

 

[EMTinNEPA]

We bill our patients for services provided.... *cough* the same thing doctors and hospitals do...

Quoted for truth.

 

[Level1pedstech]

We rely solely on levy funds and grants for our all volunteer department. We have done a few fill the boot drives and some pancake breakfasts over the years but with all the available grants money has not been hard to come by at least to fund our needs. Getting paid personnel would be another story but we don't need to start beating that dead horse on such a beautiful summer morning.

On a positive note our transport agency just received approval by the taxpayers for a continuation of ambulance service for the three districts they cover. The vote was 86% for and was a big relief,in this economy nothing is a given but I think the people realize the need for a timely response when they dial 911. In an area where response times are up to 60 minutes adding another 30 minutes would be a real problem for the departments handling first response. This levy has been approved every ten years since it was first put to the people.

 

[medic417]

Many volly depts bill for transport and supplies.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Many volly depts bill for transport and supplies.

Yes, but how many wind up not getting paid because of subpar charting with no way to enforce or mandate standards of documentation?

 

[medic417]

Yes, but how many wind up not getting paid because of subpar charting with no way to enforce or mandate standards of documentation?

If the vollys can not even do a proper patient care report they need to get out of EMS, and the same goes for anyone in a paid service as well. Every penny collected from the actual user of the ambulance is money you don't have to go pester the public for.

 

[Sasha]

Yes, but how many wind up not getting paid because of subpar charting with no way to enforce or mandate standards of documentation?

You think inability to document proficiently is something reserved only for volunteers?

I'm wondering what your impression of a volunteer department is. While I agree they are a hamper, being a volunteer does not automatically make you or the company you volunteer with sub par or incompetent. Just like being paid does not automatically make you adequate and competent.

 

[enjoynz]

As far as the ambulance services go...they have paid staff that are employed just to fund raise. Normally on that scale it's through Banks, Business, etc.
On a smaller scale the Ambulance cadets (Kids group) do fund raising so they can go to First Aid competitions and camps, etc.
The most popular form of fund raising in New Zealand is 'Sausage Sizzle'.
The large Department stores usually offer a space in front of their shops (normally on a weekend).
Most of them also supply the BBQ, as a form of sponsorship to the groups fund raising.
Another place to set up is at Sports grounds.
The Sausage sizzle is basically a Sausage rolled up in a slice of bread, with Tomato sauce (ketchup), mustard and cooked onion. They normally sell for $1.00 - $2.00.
Just to give you some idea. My daughter's High School Choir were fund raising last year to go to Australia. They would make on average $400 in a day.
You may already have Sausage sizzles in the USA.I don't know. But they are a sure winner for fund raising here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EWnC7CYMEc .....Please note these guys had a bad day. Was more to show what they were selling.You have to promote your product! lol.
Cheers Enjoynz

 

[dmc2007]

My volunteer agency is part of a two agency district. The district employs the paramedics (we have 24/7 paid ALS coverage for both agencies) as well as the weekday daytime BLS coverage. The district bills for transports (I'm unsure if the individual agencies see any of that money). Our agency, up until we outsourced our billing, would send out letters to patients asking for donations and we raised a significant amount of money that way.

 

[NEMed2]

Yes, but how many wind up not getting paid because of subpar charting with no way to enforce or mandate standards of documentation?

Wow. Subpar charting and enforcing standards has nothing to do with volly vs paid. I know many paid EMTs that can't write a pcr to save their lives, many due to learning disabilities. It doesn't have to do with their pt care, but they can't write a pcr worth anything. If you can't write a pcr you should get additional training or get out of the industry. It has nothing to do with being a volly. Most of my department's forms are written just as well or better than the paid guys.

I belong to my town's volly department and we bill pts for transports, apply for a lot of grants and do several annual fundrasiers such as steak/pasta dinners (and do them with well prepared foods) which actually nets us a nice profit since a lot of people know we put a lot of time and effort into our meals. We also do seasonal plant sales, etc. But for us it's less about the money and more about letting the public see us in non-emergency situations.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

I don't know... maybe I'm spoiled because I work for a service that takes proper documentation extremely seriously. But most of the documentation complaints I hear come from the individuals who do the billing for volunteer services.

 

[NEMed2]

I don't know... maybe I'm spoiled because I work for a service that takes proper documentation extremely seriously. But most of the documentation complaints I hear come from the individuals who do the billing for volunteer services.

Services that don't take proper documentation seriously are setting themselves up for huge lawsuits. As are the EMTs. But that doesn't mean that all vollys can't write a pcr.