Emergency Medical Services

Serving Our Community, Around the Clock

Emergency Medical Services have been part of Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company's commitment to our community for more than 85 years. While the people, equipment, training, and way we provide that service have changed considerably over the years, our mission has remained the same: providing high-quality emergency care to the people we serve.

Where We've Been

BAVFC placed its first ambulance in service on January 23, 1939. The unit, which had formerly been a hearse, underwent an overhaul of its chassis and motor at a local Bel Air garage before being sent to Baltimore to be fitted with a custom body, the latest stretcher, first aid kits, and other equipment. Fourteen firefighters completed first aid training and staffed the ambulance, marking the beginning of BAVFC's EMS service.

From those early beginnings, EMS continued to grow and evolve. Training requirements increased, new levels of certification were introduced, equipment and communications became more advanced, and the number of calls for emergency medical care continued to rise. By 2022, BAVFC's volunteer EMS personnel were responding to approximately 5,000 calls annually.

In 2023, Harford County Department of Emergency Services (DES) became the primary provider of emergency medical services in Harford County, placing county ambulances staffed by career EMS providers at volunteer fire companies throughout the county, including BAVFC.

Where We're Going

Today, DES provides 24/7 career EMS staffing at BAVFC, with two crews at our Bel Air station and one crew at Patterson Mill.

But that isn't the end of volunteer EMS at BAVFC. It's the beginning of our next chapter.

BAVFC's volunteer EMS unit operates from Patterson Mill, staffing an additional ambulance whenever a volunteer crew is available. Working alongside our DES partners, our volunteers provide another EMS resource ready to respond and help meet the needs of our community.

Our volunteer EMS team is made up of Paramedics, EMTs, IV Technicians, Drivers, and EMS Support Members who continue a tradition of service that began more than 85 years ago. Whether responding to a medical emergency or vehicle crash, supporting a community event, training, or simply being ready when the next call comes in, our volunteers remain committed to giving their time to serve their neighbors.

When someone in our community is sick, injured, frightened, or simply having one of their worst days, our mission remains what it has always been: to bring skilled, compassionate care when it matters most.

Volunteer Hours. Real Impact.

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Volunteer Hours This Month

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Volunteer Hours This Year

Behind every one of those hours is a volunteer who chose to spend part of their day — or night — serving someone else.

Join BAVFC EMS

You Don't Need to Arrive With Experience. You Need to Be Willing to Learn.

Maybe you've thought about EMS but assumed you needed medical experience first.

You don't!

Many EMS providers begin exactly where you are now - interested in helping people, curious about emergency medicine, and wondering whether they could actually do it.

Do I need to already be an EMT? 

No! You do not need to be an EMT to join BAVFC. If you're interested in EMS, we'd love to talk with you about the process, training opportunities, and how you can get started.                                                                                                                                                          

What if I already have my EMT or Paramedic certification?

We'd love to talk to you about bringing your experience to BAVFC.

Can I volunteer if I work full-time? 

Absolutely. Our members have jobs, families, school, and other responsibilities outside the station. Members who wish to maintain active voting membership are required to have 144 volunteer hours and attend 14 drills throughout the year.  Behind every one of those hours is a volunteer who chooses to commit serving their community, day or night.  

What if I want to help with EMS but I'm not an EMT yet? 

You can get started before you're certified. New members can ride with our EMS crews as EMS Support Members, gaining firsthand experience and helping the crew while working toward their EMT certification. BAVFC members have up to 24 months to obtain their EMT certification.                                                                                                                      

How long does EMT training take? 

Maryland's EMT course includes approximately 207 hours of instruction, combining classroom and online learning with hands-on practical skills and scenarios. Students also complete a required internship with their local department before becoming eligible for certification testing.                                                                                                                                                    

Does BAVFC pay for training?

Yes! Once you're a member, BAVFC covers the cost of your EMT training. We’d be happy to talk with you about the training process, what to expect, and how to get started.

What if I'm interested, but I'm not sure EMS is for me?

Talk to us. You don't have to have everything figured out before asking questions. Come meet the team, learn what being part of BAVFC EMS looks like, and see whether it's right for you.

Ready to learn more?

JOIN BAVFC EMS 

Training & Readiness

The Call May Be Unexpected. Our Preparation Isn't.

When the ambulance leaves the station, our crews don't know exactly what they'll encounter. That's why training never stops.

Becoming an EMT requires significant training before ever becoming a certified provider. Maryland's EMT program through the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) includes approximately 207 hours of instruction, combining classroom and online learning with hands-on practical skills and scenarios. Students also complete a required internship with their local department before becoming eligible for certification testing.

And earning that certification is only the beginning.

Maryland EMTs must continue their education throughout their careers to maintain certification. Under Maryland's continuing education renewal pathway, EMTs complete 24 hours of continuing education during each certification cycle, covering areas such as airway and respiratory emergencies, cardiovascular care, pediatrics, trauma, medical emergencies and other essential patient-care topics. Maryland also requires ongoing updates to its statewide EMS medical protocols.

EMTs who maintain their National Registry certification have additional continuing education requirements. The current National Registry program requires 40 hours of continuing education during each two-year recertification cycle, including national, state/local and individual education components.

At BAVFC, readiness goes beyond required coursework. Members train together, review equipment, practice patient-care scenarios and continually work to keep our crews and ambulances prepared before the tones ever drop.

Training may include:

• CPR and cardiac arrest response
• Patient assessment and vital signs
• Medical and trauma emergencies
• Airway management
• Stroke and cardiac emergency recognition
• Bleeding control
• Patient movement and ambulance operations
• Emergency vehicle driver training
• Continuing education and skills refreshers
• Maryland EMS protocol updates
• Multi-agency and scenario-based training

Meet a Member

The People Behind BAVFC EMS

Our EMS team is made up of people from all walks of life, each with their own story about what brought them to BAVFC and why they continue to serve. Each month, we'll introduce you to one of the members who gives their time to our community.

Meet Lacey

BAVFC Member Since: 2025
EMS Role: EMT / Driver 
Years in EMS: 4

What brought you to BAVFC and EMS?

After moving back to Harford County, I knew I wanted to find a way to give back to my community. I found my way to the EMS crew at Patterson Mill, and they were so welcoming that it didn't take long to realize I'd found my EMS family.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with BAVFC?

I love being able to bring a little bit of calm to the chaos during what may be one of the scariest or most difficult moments in someone's life. I also love the camaraderie we've built within our EMS crew. You spend a lot of time together, and those friendships become a big part of why you keep coming back.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

What's one thing you wish people knew about EMS?

How much work goes into staying ready! We may be volunteers and we may not run calls every day, but when we're on the ambulance, our patients deserve the same level of preparedness and care. That means continuing education, practicing our skills, training together, and always being ready for the next call.

What's your favorite part of being at the station when you're not on a call? 

Honestly, just hanging out with the crew. We watch movies, eat together when we have time, laugh a lot — it's a little like hanging out with your family in the living room...except at any moment the tones can drop and everybody has to get up and go!                                                                                                

What would you tell someone who is thinking about joining?                                                                                                                   

Give it a chance. You don't have to walk through the door already knowing how to do everything - that's what training and the people around you are for. I found a way to serve my community, learned skills I never expected to have, and found a second family along the way.  Also, it's never too late - I didn't join until my late 30's! 

And just for fun... Favorite Coffee Order?                                                                                                                                                     

It's fall, so obviously an iced Pumpkin Spice Latte