Has The Term "VAC" Died?

[x635 4,066]

Another trivial topic to some by me.

Has the term "VAC" become obsolete?

To me, volunteer ambulance corps doesn't reflect the modern day services.

Does any VAC use "Volunteer Emergency Medical Services" or just EMS?

Also, if ALS is in house or paid staffed, can the VAC term still be applicable?

[x129K 1,393]

Been dead, just people refuse to let it go......

[JM15 386]

Its been dead for awhile... Once you hire paid staffing or contract out stop calling yourself a VAC

[RushTheBus 10]

Eastchester VAC has been working the last couple of years on our branding strategy and the decision to keep or get rid of the term "VAC" is always up for discussion.

The way we look at it now is that the Eastchester Volunteer Amublance Corps Inc. is the parent company. EVAC provides various services to the community including CPR classes, blood drives, information sessions to various community groups, as well as Emergency Medical Services comprised of paid and volunteer EMT's and Paramedics. This service is called Eastchester EMS.

Who knows if this is right or not, and this could always change, but we're trying it out for now.

[v85 212]

My ambulance corps, all volunteer, still uses VAC, but not as a primary name. Our official name is Warwick Community Ambulance Service, Inc. and our uniforms say Warwick EMS.

[helicopper 1,050]

Eastchester VAC has been working the last couple of years on our branding strategy and the decision to keep or get rid of the term "VAC" is always up for discussion.

The way we look at it now is that the Eastchester Volunteer Amublance Corps Inc. is the parent company. EVAC provides various services to the community including CPR classes, blood drives, information sessions to various community groups, as well as Emergency Medical Services comprised of paid and volunteer EMT's and Paramedics. This service is called Eastchester EMS.

Who knows if this is right or not, and this could always change, but we're trying it out for now.

"branding strategy". This is why Eastchester is ahead of the curve.

Most VAC's don't have a strategy period let alone one for branding or PR. Good work!

[PFDRes47cue 653]

My agency still proudly uses VAC and is 100% volunteer...doesn't even bill. I do believe that the term has died off, however, I see no problem in using it if it is a true representation of the agency.

Now I have a question...

What about the term "Rescue Squad"? A lot of agencies in upstate NY use Rescue Squad... (IE: Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad)

Edited September 24, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[vodoly 535]

My agency still proudly uses VAC and is 100% volunteer...doesn't even bill. I do believe that the term has died off, however, I see no problem in using it if it is a true representation of the agency.

Now I have a question...

What about the term "Rescue Squad"? A lot of agencies in upstate NY use Rescue Squad... (IE: Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad)

we have EMS on the new rig & duty officer SUV in englewood cliffs but still dispatched as volunteer ambulance

[PFDRes47cue 653]

we have EMS on the new rig & duty officer SUV in englewood cliffs but still dispatched as volunteer ambulance

Is anyone paid?

[peterose313 345]

Ossining still used the term VAC even though a lot are paid, some are still volunteers. As long as there's still volunteers within the department, I think you can still use the term "VAC". If everyone is paid then you're obviously not a VAC.

[FFFORD 27]

Our ambulances, even new arrivals say "volunteer" on them even though 6-6 weekdays is paid. Kind of bothers me. When I first started we were all volunteer which was fine, but I have brought the issue up and they still decide to letter the vehicles with "volunteer." I dont like it.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Our ambulances, even new arrivals say "volunteer" on them even though 6-6 weekdays is paid. Kind of bothers me. When I first started we were all volunteer which was fine, but I have brought the issue up and they still decide to letter the vehicles with "volunteer." I dont like it.

I can see how this kind of bothers you...this could easily be fixed with EMS instead of VAC.

[nycemt728 49]

My agency still proudly uses VAC and is 100% volunteer...doesn't even bill. I do believe that the term has died off, however, I see no problem in using it if it is a true representation of the agency.

Now I have a question...

What about the term "Rescue Squad"? A lot of agencies in upstate NY use Rescue Squad... (IE: Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad)

Agreed, same here. Still 100% volly, no billing. The services offered have little to do with the name, a VAC can offer classes, screenings, community outreach etc just as easily as a Rescue Squad, EMS, or any other fancy name you can come up with. Personally I think as long as some tours are covered by volunteers, you still have the right to call yourself a VAC. I understand we are in a business, despite being volunteers, paid etc but at the end of the day I guarantee you people don't worry what name the people walk in the door call themselves, it's how they conduct themselves and the quality service they provide. I actually worked under a chief once who admonished us for knocking on the door and announcing "EMS" as opposed to "volunteer ambulance"...suffice it to say my crew had a WTF moment. Bottom line, take pride in your work and your organization and let the titles fall where they may.

Edited September 24, 2011 by nycemt728

[NWFDMedic 58]

My agency still proudly uses VAC and is 100% volunteer...doesn't even bill. I do believe that the term has died off, however, I see no problem in using it if it is a true representation of the agency.

Now I have a question...

What about the term "Rescue Squad"? A lot of agencies in upstate NY use Rescue Squad... (IE: Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad)

Potsdam is truly a rescue squad though, not just an ambulance service. They provide other services such as extrication (or at least they did when I was a member).

It's not as simple to change your agency name as you might think. You could do a DBA and change the name that you publicize to the community, but some services still like to have the word volunteer because it is appealing to the community.

Personally, I don't mind the organization keeping its name. They are not going around calling themselves "Town of Mayberry ALL VAC" and the VAC name recognizes the efforts put in by the volunteers. Once upon a time, GEICO was the government employees' insurance company, but they didn't change their name when they expanded. If you want to talk about the real crime in false advertising, how about the services that have "paramedic" on their ambulance with BLS staffing.

[helicopper 1,050]

What does billing have to do with whether or not you call yourself a VAC?

I don't think the term VAC is as well known as it once was and people equate ambulance service to EMS these days. If you look at the components of an "emergency medical service system " as originally defined, the components are far more encompassing than "VAC".

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Potsdam is truly a rescue squad though, not just an ambulance service. They provide other services such as extrication (or at least they did when I was a member).

It's not as simple to change your agency name as you might think. You could do a DBA and change the name that you publicize to the community, but some services still like to have the word volunteer because it is appealing to the community.

Personally, I don't mind the organization keeping its name. They are not going around calling themselves "Town of Mayberry ALL VAC" and the VAC name recognizes the efforts put in by the volunteers. Once upon a time, GEICO was the government employees' insurance company, but they didn't change their name when they expanded. If you want to talk about the real crime in false advertising, how about the services that have "paramedic" on their ambulance with BLS staffing.

That is true, PVRS does still have the crash truck with tools, so do some other Rescue Squads (Tri-town, etc). I am sure that there are some Rescue Squads that do not have tools but are still labelled Rescue Squad.

I see you point withe having "paramedic" on the ambulance, however, couldn't this mean that this mean that the unit has the capabilities of having ALS on-board?

Chris - Billing has nothing to do with the term VAC.

IMHO the term is not nearly as important a the services offered and more importantly, the quality of the service. As long, as you get the bus out in a timely fashion, act in a professional manner, and give the best patient care possible, I don't care if the side of the vehicle says Good Humor, and frankly, in a time of an emergency, I don't believe the patient or the patients family even notices what the pretty writing on the side of vehicles say.

Edited September 24, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[JJB531 652]

IMHO the term is not nearly as important a the services offered and more importantly, the quality of the service. As long, as you get the bus out in a timely fashion, act in a professional manner, and give the best patient care possible, I don't care if the side of the vehicle says Good Humor, and frankly, in a time of an emergency, I don't believe the patient or the patients family even notices what the pretty writing on the side of vehicles say.

I'm slightly confused because in one post you state how your agency "proudly uses the word VAC", but then you go on to say you don't care if the vehicle "says Good Humor on it". Once you start hiring your own personnel, you are no longer a VAC, you are a combination department. Correct that patients or their families might not care what the pretty writing is on the side of the vehicle says in the time of an emergency, but what about the rest of the time? Are we misleading the general public by advertising ourselves, since the way we letter our vehicles is a means of advertisement, in a false manner to make the community believe we are something that we actually are not? Someone brought up Ossining as an example. Ossining is 90%, if not higher, paid at this point, with a full-time paid Chief, one newly graduated active volunteer paramedic, an extremely small handful of volunteer EMT's, 4 full time paramedics and full time EMT's staffing the primary ambulance which is funded through taxpayer money, and all paid paramedics staffing the Fly Car; yet the agency still calls itself a VAC, when it is the furthest thing from one. Personally I do care, because I am a career medic, not a volunteer, and I want to be represented as such

[PFDRes47cue 653]

I'm slightly confused because in one post you state how your agency "proudly uses the word VAC", but then you go on to say you don't care if the vehicle "says Good Humor on it". Once you start hiring your own personnel, you are no longer a VAC, you are a combination department. Correct that patients or their families might not care what the pretty writing is on the side of the vehicle says in the time of an emergency, but what about the rest of the time? Are we misleading the general public by advertising ourselves, since the way we letter our vehicles is a means of advertisement, in a false manner to make the community believe we are something that we actually are not? Someone brought up Ossining as an example. Ossining is 90%, if not higher, paid at this point, with a full-time paid Chief, one newly graduated active volunteer paramedic, an extremely small handful of volunteer EMT's, 4 full time paramedics and full time EMT's staffing the primary ambulance which is funded through taxpayer money, and all paid paramedics staffing the Fly Car; yet the agency still calls itself a VAC, when it is the furthest thing from one. Personally I do care, because I am a career medic, not a volunteer, and I want to be represented as such

Sorry for the confusion... Yes, my VAC does use the word VAC, we also represent the true meaning. This is not a discussion about my agency or your profession. The discussion is about has the term VAC died out. I think that yes it has in most cases, since most places are no longer "VAC's" however, if an agency is a true VAC then the term is very much alive for them. I can see how paid personnel may feel that VAC is a misrepresentation for them and I do respect that.

[JJB531 652]

Sorry for the confusion... Yes, my VAC does use the word VAC, we also represent the true meaning. This is not a discussion about my agency or your profession. The discussion is about has the term VAC died out. I think that yes it has in most cases, since most places are no longer "VAC's" however, if an agency is a true VAC then the term is very much alive for them. I can see how paid personnel may feel that VAC is a misrepresentation for them and I do respect that.

This is not a discussion about your agency or my profession? You initiated a post about your agency, stating that your agency is proud to be a VAC that doesn't bill, and I commend your agency for being able to truly maintain a VAC, but am I not permitted to address conflicting information for clarification? I think my profession has every thing to do with the way this thread has manifested itself so far in terms of myself being a career medic who is employed by a "VAC". Other members have already posted about the same issues I addressed in my post, why does my post cause you to become defensive about what this thread is really about?

[SOUSGT 357]

I'm slightly confused because in one post you state how your agency "proudly uses the word VAC", but then you go on to say you don't care if the vehicle "says Good Humor on it". Once you start hiring your own personnel, you are no longer a VAC, you are a combination department. Correct that patients or their families might not care what the pretty writing is on the side of the vehicle says in the time of an emergency, but what about the rest of the time? Are we misleading the general public by advertising ourselves, since the way we letter our vehicles is a means of advertisement, in a false manner to make the community believe we are something that we actually are not? Someone brought up Ossining as an example. Ossining is 90%, if not higher, paid at this point, with a full-time paid Chief, one newly graduated active volunteer paramedic, an extremely small handful of volunteer EMT's, 4 full time paramedics and full time EMT's staffing the primary ambulance which is funded through taxpayer money, and all paid paramedics staffing the Fly Car; yet the agency still calls itself a VAC, when it is the furthest thing from one. Personally I do care, because I am a career medic, not a volunteer, and I want to be represented as such

Would you prefer names like XYZ 70% of the time VAC. Even the term EMS is not 100% correct as many EMS groups accept transports and transport non emergency patients. Using the above argument, we should drop EMS and change the name to ambulance service. We seem to have a long thread over words. None of us should be so literal. Many fire departments respond to more than fires. Does this mean we should change the name to emergency and non emergency service department? It seems like police is the only correct agency name. I know this sounds silly but in the world of truth in advertising and political correctness, this is what the world is coming to.

Edited September 24, 2011 by SOUSGT

[helicopper 1,050]

Chris - Billing has nothing to do with the term VAC.

Two different responses included whether or not billing was part of their service hence my question.

If billing has nothing to do with being a VAC, why did you (and someone else) both include that in your statement about your agency? Is not billing somehow more desirable than billing?

How are agency operations being funded if they don't bill for service?

[helicopper 1,050]

Would you prefer names like XYZ 70% of the time VAC. Even the term EMS is not 100% correct as many EMS groups accept transports and transport non emergency patients. Using the above argument, we should drop EMS and change the name to ambulance service. We seem to have a long thread over words. None of us should be so literal. Many fire departments respond to more than fires. Does this mean we should change the name to emergency and non emergency service department? It seems like police is the only correct agency name. I know this sounds silly but in the world of truth in advertising and political correctness, this is what the world is coming to.

Actually, you are incorrect. The components of an EMS System (as defined when the term was coined) include transportation and many other things that most local agencies don't do or are only peripherally associated with.

Remember, an EMS System isn't a single agency, it is the whole system from dispatch to rehab that puts an person back on their feet (no pun intended) after an illness or injury.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

This is not a discussion about your agency or my profession? You initiated a post about your agency, stating that your agency is proud to be a VAC that doesn't bill, and I commend your agency for being able to truly maintain a VAC, but am I not permitted to address conflicting information for clarification? I think my profession has every thing to do with the way this thread has manifested itself so far in terms of myself being a career medic who is employed by a "VAC". Other members have already posted about the same issues I addressed in my post, why does my post cause you to become defensive about what this thread is really about?

I'm not being defensive, I'm just trying to keep this from a paid vs. volley discussion, since we all have seen enough of that on here. I do not know how to fix the issue, I do not know if there is a fix for the issue. If there are paid personnel then they are not volunteering their time, however, if it is a combo agency then someone people are volunteering their time so... You are absolutely permitted to address conflicting information for clarification.

Edited September 24, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Is not billing somehow more desirable than billing?

How are agency operations being funded if they don't bill for service?

I do not think it is about which is more desirable, it is just about what the members want and if you can sustain agency operations with the funding you currently have.

Agency operations can be funded through the budget, fund-raising, etc. Sure there is more money to go around if patients are billed, but some people would take less money over billing, for whatever their reasons are.

[JJB531 652]

Would you prefer names like XYZ 70% of the time VAC. Even the term EMS is not 100% correct as many EMS groups accept transports and transport non emergency patients. Using the above argument, we should drop EMS and change the name to ambulance service. We seem to have a long thread over words. None of us should be so literal. Many fire departments respond to more than fires. Does this mean we should change the name to emergency and non emergency service department? It seems like police is the only correct agency name. I know this sounds silly but in the world of truth in advertising and political correctness, this is what the world is coming to.

There is no 70%, you either are a VAC or you are not. The definition of a VAC is open to individual interpretation; my personal interpretation is that once you start hiring employees, you are no longer a VAC. To attempt to make a mockery of my personal opinion by stating that I would prefer "70% of the time VAC" is with all due respect utterly ridiculous. Correct, many EMS agencies are primarily transport agencies, but each is certified by the state as an EMS Agency, held to the same standard as "true EMS" agencies, and each has the same capabilities to provide emergency medical care and transport to sick/injured parties, and most do respond to emergent calls for service at facilities that contract them for emergency response.. You have taken the name game to a new level, by the logic you have presented now, EMT's who work for transport agencies shouldn't be called EMT's, they should drop the "E" and just be called Medical Technicians, or everyone's favorite; Ambulance Drivers.

This may be a long thread over words to you, but those of us who are involved in the field and actually give a damn about how we are perceived by not only the public, but other agencies as well, the words are more than just words.

[JJB531 652]

I'm not being defensive, I'm just trying to keep this from a paid vs. volley discussion, since we all have seen enough of that on here. I do not know how to fix the issue, I do not know if there is a fix for the issue. If there are paid personnel then they are not volunteering their time, however, if it is a combo agency then someone people are volunteering their time so... You are absolutely permitted to address conflicting information for clarification.

I am in no way trying to turn this into a paid/volley discussion, so I hope you don't misinterpret my statements as an attempt to start one. I have no problem with volunteers, as long as they are dedicated, prodfessional, and competent as a provider. As a career provider, obviously my opinions and statements are going to reflect that.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Several people have mentioned that EMS agencies transport or have the capabilities too...what about First Responders? These people provide emergency medical services prior to the arrival of a transporting unit.

I am in no way trying to turn this into a paid/volley discussion, so I hope you don't misinterpret my statements as an attempt to start one. I have no problem with volunteers, as long as they are dedicated, prodfessional, and competent as a provider. As a career provider, obviously my opinions and statements are going to reflect that.

We are both on the same page brother.

Edited September 24, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[JJB531 652]

Several people have mentioned that EMS agencies transport or have the capabilities too...what about First Responders? These people provide emergency medical services prior to the arrival of a transporting unit.

First Response agencies definitely fit in, as do dispatchers, and anyone else who plays a part of the overall system.