Event Medic PGH – an event medical standby service specializing in safety and first aid

I entered the field of public safety in 2009 by joining the local volunteer fire department, and from there became interested in emergency medical services. I remember my first ride-along, and my first fire like they were yesterday. Being involved in public safety opened up my eyes to a whole new world of giving back to my community. I became an EMT in 2010 and began working with a local service, and started a second job with another agency in 2013.

I knew that I wanted to open up my own service, but the county and surrounding areas were already so saturated, so I had to get creative and find a niche. The idea finally came to me while I was working a medical standby at an industrial plant, and then again after working briefly in the oil and gas industry. Many of these places had a need for an EMT on-site, but options were limited – or expensive! I spent the next 8 months brainstorming the best way to get my foot in the door. I talked to anyone and everyone that would listen… seeking advice, validation, and criticism.

Event Medic PGH is an event medical standby service specializing in safety and first aid. We employ a network of certified first responders and emergency medical technicians to provide medical first aid for local events and organizations.

I decided to start this business because I saw a need for a low-cost alternative to expensive ambulance services. My idea was to create a service that would be able to charge the customer less while paying the EMT more, making it worth their time. We can do this because of lower overhead costs and with a custom pricing algorithm that is easily adaptable to a customers budget.

Our biggest challenge has been and will be educating customers to the alternative of relying on their local ambulance service. Everybody has always been told to “call 911” and someone will come and help, but that is not always the case. Sometimes things happen, and the ambulance doesn’t arrive quickly enough. We aim to cut down on response times by ALREADY being on-site at the time of a medical emergency. Also, an ambulance may not always be necessary, so by utilizing our service you will help to reduce the strain on the local 911 system, keeping those units available for someone who may truly need them.

Our customers are anyone and everyone that organizes or participates in events. From youth sports, to boxing tournaments, to gym competitions, and even private charity or corporate events. We want to staff a medical responder anywhere possible. Why do businesses staff security guards? We want to staff medical personnel for the same reasons – to protect your customers IF and WHEN they need medical attention.

My goal is to start small by providing standbys for local events. I am hoping to build it into a team that can staff larger events like Tough Mudder or other outdoor obstacle races. My goal is to become a certified Quick Response Service (QRS) and obtain medical command through a local hospital network, allowing us to expand into more things like construction and industrial warehouse standbys, or oil and gas well sites.

This loan is going to go towards purchasing uniforms (approx $285), equipment (AED, medical bags and supplies – approx $1400), insurances (approx $600), and provide working capital for business management software. These purchases will allow me to streamline my service and make more efficient use of my time. This loan will push my business about 8 steps forward and right into Spring sports season.