Dear Neighbors,
First, I want to thank the residents of Wilton who have continued to support the Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps for many years. I cannot begin to let you know how important your support impacts our day-to-day operations and long-term goals to serve the community.
To the new members of our community, welcome to Wilton. I hope you turn into long term residents. Please know that the Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps is always ready to respond to your call for medical assistance at any time of the day or night.
The Wilton Volunteer Ambulance Corps has provided emergency medical services to the Wilton community since 1976. We are an independent 501(c)(3) non-for-profit charitable organization and are not a department within the Town of Wilton.
In 2023, there were a record 1,713 calls for emergency service, a small increase over the prior year but a 16% increase over 2022. In 2024, we are trending well over 1,800 calls, representing a 22.8% increase for the last 3 years. Calls to the nursing homes and additional medical facilities in town are the main factors for the increase. With new multifamily housing on the horizon, that number will likely grow in the future.
Our major source of funds to operate our organization is derived from billing Medicare and private insurance companies for our services, along with generous donations from our residents. While billing revenue has increased with the higher call volume, collections are not guaranteed, and not all calls result in billing. In addition, operating costs across the board have increased significantly, mainly labor, medical supplies, and other equipment.
Let me demonstrate why your support is very important for our organization. Our service currently has 2 ambulances available to serve the community. If our call volume continues to increase, we will be on the verge of needing an additional ambulance and other resources to effectively serve the community going forward. We are looking to purchase a new ambulance to replace our 2017 ambulance in 2025 or 2026, and we have been alerted that the cost of a new ambulance would cost between $350,000 to 400,000, a 40 to 60 percent increase over our last purchase.
I close this letter by thanking my fellow members for their hard work, dedication, and time commitment away from their families to serve their community. Your consideration in making a donation would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, and all the best to you and your family.
John R. Miscioscia
President
Comments