Elk County ambulance service opens to help with patient transports

ST. MARYS - A new ambulance service recently opened in Elk County.

Elk County EMS, LLC, located on Maurus Street in St. Marys, was founded in 2017 in response to the overwhelming demand for additional emergency medical resources within Elk County and the surrounding areas.

Owner Mark Schaut said the need for patients to be transported to definitive care in a timely manner has continued to grow. Schaut said Elk County EMS will focus on hospital-to-hospital transports.

"We are not looking to compete with any other service by any means," Schaut said. "We are looking to be an ancillary service that can help take the burden off of the services that may be inundated with transports and emergency calls and help alleviate some of that stress."

The team consists of 22 people including EMT's, paramedics, physician assistants, fire fighters and registered nurses.

"It's truly like a family," said paramedic Sara Ruehle. "When we are together it's a big bundle of laughs and we all work really well together, which is wonderful when you're in high stress situations."

Schaut said they provide service to people in a six-county region.

Elk County EMS is an independent for-profit service. Schaut said this allows them to give back to charitable organizations and ensures the vision of patient-centered care is met.

"We truly share the same vision and we want to see that vision through," Schaut said. "By being an independently owned and operated service, we are able to ensure that our vision is met. We don't have to answer to a board of directors who might not share that same vision as we do.

Schaut said Elk County EMS is in the process of adding a third ambulance to its fleet. It also plans to add a wheelchair van for patients that need to get to their doctor appointments but don't necessarily need an ambulance.

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