Waupaca / Weyauwega Area Ambulance

05/02/2013

Th official signing took place yesterday and Gold Cross became the new provider for the Waupaca and Weyauwega area at 7:00am today. At 6:50 the pagers sounded at the Waupaca station and the crew responded to the final call as WAA. Out like a lion! Congradulations to Gold Cross and best wishes on this new chapter!

05/01/2013

I remember the first ambulance call I went on almost 40 years ago like it was yesterday. Six years later I bought Holly Ambulance and it became Waupaca Area Ambulance. For the next 34 years it became my passion. Over that time I have been truly blessed to have had so may great employees and made so many friends. I have enjoyed every one of you. Today we signed the papers and tomorrow morning at 7:00AM Waupaca and Weyauwega Ambulance will become Gold Gross Ambulance. I look forward to the future of the organization we built and I am confident that all the employees will have a bright future with the new company. Thank you all for your caring dedication to our communities and our company. We should all be very proud.

04/25/2013

GOLD CROSS BEGINS AMBULANCE SERVICE TO WAUPACA AREA MAY 1

Starting Wednesday, May 1, you might not recognize the ambulance going down the highway. Instead of seeing the green ambulances of Waupaca and Weyauwega Area Ambulance, you will now see deep blue vehicles with a gold cross on the side. Tuesday, April 30, the merger of Gold Cross Ambulance Service and Waupaca Area Ambulance will be finalized. The following day, Gold Cross will become the emergency medical service provider to Waupaca Area Ambulance’s service area, including the cities of Waupaca and Weyauwega, and their surrounding communities.

All that’s changing for area residents is the color of the ambulances and the uniforms worn by the EMS personnel. The high quality of care and emergency response delivered by Waupaca Area Ambulance for more than 30 years will not change. Anyone experiencing a health emergency should still dial 911. Patients will be transported to the hospital of their choice, including ThedaCare’s two local hospitals, Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca and New London Family Medical Center.

The merger is a result of a mutual agreement by both organizations to ensure the legacy of Waupaca Area Ambulance, providing quality EMS care for Waupaca area residents into the future. With the addition of Waupaca County to its regional service, Gold Cross now serves almost 260,000 people in four counties.

“This is an exciting time for our organization,” said Gold Cross Ambulance Executive Director Jack Hill. “We’re eager to serve the Waupaca area, and we’re ready to respond to the needs of the surrounding communities.”

Gold Cross will deploy four ambulances in the Waupaca and Weyauwega areas. Every Gold Cross ambulance is equipped with satellite vehicle tracking, which allows dispatchers to send the closest ambulance to an incoming call, and an AutoPulse, a device that administers high quality, consistent CPR compressions.
Gold Cross is jointly owned by Affinity Health System and ThedaCare. With the merger, Gold Cross increases its number of employees to 180, from 160, and its fleet of ambulances to 18, from 13.

“After dedicating 30 years of my life to Waupaca Area Ambulance, it’s a bittersweet moment,” said Barry Tomaras, owner of Waupaca Area Ambulance. “Although it is tough to say goodbye, it feels good to be handing over the reins to a quality organization.”

Gold Cross Ambulance provides paramedic-level care for 911 medical emergencies, and non-emergency transport services to almost 260,000 people in 1,170 square miles of portions of Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet and Waupaca counties. In 2012, Gold Cross responded to more than 15,000 calls. It also brings Emergency Medical Service expertise to the region through its management contracting services, linking more people to quality EMS care. To learn more about Gold Cross Ambulance visit www.goldcross.org.

Gold Cross Ambulance provides only paramedic-trained emergency and non-emergency medical care to the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin. Working in partnership with our owner hospitals, and under the supervision of our medical director, we deliver the best in emergency medical care.

04/25/2013

New Look at Waupaca and Weyauwega Ambulance beginning May 1, 2013

04/21/2013

Things are beginning to look different at the Waupaca station.

04/20/2013

Restoration almost completer. Getting ready for the parade season

04/20/2013

Restoration almost completer. Getting ready for the parade season.

02/26/2013

Waupaca Area Ambulance and Gold Cross Ambulance announced Monday they have signed a letter of intent to merge their services this spring.

After the merger, Gold Cross will be the emergency medical service provider to Waupaca Area Ambulance’s service area, including the cities of Waupaca and Weyauwega, and their surrounding communities.

Service to the area will continue uninterrupted during the transition.

The merger is a result of a mutual agreement by both organizations to ensure the legacy of Waupaca Area Ambulance and to provide quality EMS care for Waupaca area residents into the future.

Barry Tomaras, owner of Waupaca Area Ambulance, noted that the new relationship continues the company’s growth.

"During the past 30 years we’ve grown from six employees, one ambulance and 800 runs to 30 employees, five ambulances and 2,400 runs. Although we’ve grown, changes in healthcare will make it more difficult for small providers going forward," he said. "This merger brings resources and technology to Waupaca Area Ambulance, and serves the community well. We’re excited by the opportunity."

"This is an exciting time for our two organizations," said Gold Cross Ambulance Executive Director Jack Hill. "We each are a quality business, and we’re coming together to ensure the Waupaca area retains its high quality emergency response service."

Gold Cross Ambulance is jointly owned by Affinity Health System and ThedaCare. The company has 160 employees, and operates a fleet of 13 ambulances. Gold Cross transports patients to the hospital of their choice, and its clinical protocols are closely aligned with its owner health systems’ hospitals. ThedaCare owns and operates Riverside Medical Center and New London Family Medical Center, the two hospitals most frequently accessed by Waupaca Area Ambulance. Regional 911 dispatch services are already coordinated through Gold Cross, so those services are unchanged.

"It’s tough to say goodbye to something you’ve invested in for years, something you’ve built," Tomaras said. "But I have confidence in this decision. We’ll be strong partners, and patients will be well served."

Gold Cross Ambulance provides paramedic-level care for 911 medical emergencies, and non-emergency transport services to more than 240,000 people in 950 square miles of portions of Outagamie, Winnebago and Calumet counties, responding to more than 15,000 calls in 2012. It also brings Emergency Medical Service expertise to the region through its management contracting services, linking more people to EMS care.

12/20/2012

The Weyauwega crew doing a little stress relief activity. Snow EMT's with an injured snowboy on a longboard.

05/22/2012

Happy EMS Week to everyone out there responding to those in need. Thank you for your service and dedication!

02/23/2012