EMSA

What EMSA does

EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Authority) is a public trust governmental authority that provides pre-hospital emergency medical care and ambulance transport across two Oklahoma metropolitan areas. Established in 1977 in Tulsa and joined by Oklahoma City in 1990, EMSA operates two divisions (Eastern Division in Tulsa and Western Division in Oklahoma City) under an 11-member Board of Trustees, with eight trustees appointed by the mayors of the two host cities. The organization holds CAAS accreditation and is described as ranking in the top 1% of EMS agencies in the United States.

The core service is Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance response and transport, delivered through a fleet equipped with ECMO units, bariatric units, power load cots, LifePak 15 cardiac monitors, EleGARD CPR feedback devices, and ruggedized Toughbook laptops for in-field documentation. EMSA also operates a 911 dispatch/communications function staffed by Systems Support Coordinators (SSCs). Around this operational core, EMSA has built a vertically integrated talent and clinical education stack: the EMSA Advantage paid EMT training program (in partnership with Oklahoma State University), an in-house paramedic program, an in-house CEU program, and the September 2024-launched SimTEP simulation-based clinical education program featuring a 360-degree immersive screen from WorldViz and high-fidelity manikins from Gaumard. Specialty response teams (Honor Guard, Bike Team, Tactical/SOT, ERU) and a PEER Support / Chaplain service round out the offering.

The business model is a managed-services public utility: revenue is sourced from municipal contracts with the City of Tulsa and the City of Oklahoma City rather than from direct patient billing as the primary funding mechanism. In December 2020, EMSA completed a major structural shift, terminating a 40+ year contract with American Medical Response and bringing operations entirely in-house under 100% local leadership in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Recruitment is conducted through a dedicated careers portal (Ultipro-backed joinemsa.com), community events, career fairs, and educational partnerships, with compensation structured around published hourly wage tiers ($15.15–$25.00/hr starting range depending on role), $10,000 retention bonuses for paramedics and dispatchers, and benefits including a 457(b) with employer match.

Name

EMSA

Legal name

EMSA

Website

https://joinemsa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

EMSA is a public trust authority operating 911 ambulance and Advanced Life Support services across Tulsa and Oklahoma City under municipal contracts, supported by in-house training pipelines (EMSA Advantage, in-house paramedic program) and a new SimTEP simulation-based clinical education platform launched in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Medical Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (62191)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

911/Public EMS Agencies (Municipal/County/Fire-Based) (HLAFANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Operations & Dispatch (HLAJAGAC), Ambulance Fleet, Equipment & Logistics Services (HLAFANAN), EMS Education, Training & Simulation Centers (HLAFANAL), Medical Emergency Response & On-site First Aid/Paramedics (BPABANAG)

Keywords

• Emergency medical services
• Ambulance transport
• Pre-hospital care
• EMT training programs
• Public utility EMS

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulsa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Utility EMS Services: EMSA operates as a public trust of the Tulsa and Oklahoma City governments, providing ambulance service funded by municipal/governmental contracts. The Authority's duty is to ensure patients receive emergency medical service at the best possible price.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EMSA provides pre-hospital emergency medical care and ambulance transport services as a public utility authority serving Tulsa (Eastern Division) and Oklahoma City (Western Division). The organization operates Advanced Life Support ambulances equipped with specialized equipment and offers paid EMT and paramedic training programs, including the EMSA Advantage program and SimTEP simulation-based education. Emergency dispatch and 911 call coordination are handled in-house by Systems Support Coordinators (SSCs).

Product overview

EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Authority) is Oklahoma's largest provider of pre-hospital emergency medical care, operating as a public utility ambulance service with two divisions covering Tulsa (Eastern Division) and Oklahoma City (Western Division). The core offering is emergency ambulance transport with Advanced Life Support (ALS) capabilities. Supporting services include EMSA Advantage (paid EMT training partnered with Oklahoma State University), EMSA Academy (4-week new hire training), in-house paramedic education program, and SimTEP (simulation-based training with immersive technology). Additional offerings include specialty teams (Honor Guard, Bike Team, Tactical Team, ERU) and PEER Support services. The company utilizes state-of-the-art equipment including ECMO units, bariatric units, and power load cots, with one of the youngest ambulance fleets in the industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMSA Emergency Ambulance Services Pre-hospital emergency medical care and ambulance transport services covering Tulsa (Eastern Division) and Oklahoma City (Western Division). Provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) with fully stocked ambulances including ECMO units, bariatric units, and power load cots. Funded as a public utility ambulance service.
• EMSA Advantage Paid EMT training program in partnership with Oklahoma State University that provides certification at no out-of-pocket cost. Participants receive 16 weeks of paid training ($12.75/hr during Phase 1, $17.25/hr during Phase 2) with a guaranteed 18-month full-time employment contract upon completion.
• EMSA SimTEP (Simulation Training for EMS Professionals)

Quantifiable outcome

• EMSA has been the Sooner State's leader in pre-hospital healthcare for more than 40 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oklahoma State University (OSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMSA partnered with Oklahoma State University for the EMSA Advantage program - a paid EMT training program. OSU provides Basic EMT instruction as part of this one-of-a-kind partnership, allowing trainees to get certified with no tuition or out-of-pocket expenses.
• WorldVizcoreTechnology or IntegrationWorldViz built the simulation room for EMSA's SimTEP program. The 360-degree immersive simulation screen was designed and installed by WorldViz as part of EMSA's state-of-the-art training facility.
• GaumardcoreTechnology or IntegrationGaumard provided high-fidelity interactive manikins for EMSA's SimTEP simulation training program. These manikins replicate various scenarios from pediatric emergencies to chemical burns with realistic hands-on experience.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mecklenburg EMS Agency (MEDIC): Public utility EMS authority serving Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC). Like EMSA, MEDIC operates as a government-established agency providing 911 ambulance service with municipal funding — a structural twin.
• American Medical Response (AMR): National private EMS contractor that previously ran EMSA operations for 40+ years before the 2020 insourcing. Closest direct comparator on service scope (911 ALS, interfacility transport) but operates on a private contractor model.
• Richmond Ambulance Authority: Public utility authority providing EMS to Richmond, VA. Directly comparable public-authority model with municipal governance and CAAS-equivalent accreditation focus.
• Acadian Ambulance Service: Large private EMS provider across the Gulf Coast. Comparable in operating 911 ambulance services with advanced life support, but geographic focus and private ownership differ from EMSA.
• Falck (USA): International private EMS provider with significant US municipal contract operations. Directly comparable delivery model against EMSA's previous AMR-contracted structure.

Others

• Gaumard Scientific: Supplier of EMSA's SimTEP high-fidelity manikins. Adjacent — an enabling technology provider rather than a service competitor, but directly relevant to EMSA's training innovation.
• WorldViz: Built EMSA's immersive 360-degree simulation training room. Adjacent VR/simulation vendor — enables EMSA's SimTEP program but does not compete in EMS service delivery.

Regional players

• Allina Health Emergency Medical Services: Hospital-system-affiliated EMS serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Comparable ALS scope and CAAS-style operations, but integrated with a health system rather than a standalone public utility.
• Gold Cross Ambulance: Regional private EMS provider serving central Indiana with 911 and interfacility transport. Comparable on service mix but private and regional rather than a public utility authority.
• Pinellas County EMS: County-operated public EMS system in Florida running 911 ALS service. Comparable public-sector delivery model; differs in being a county department rather than an independent authority.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/emsaok
• Facebookfacebook.com/emsaok
• Instagraminstagram.com/emsaok
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emergency-medical-services-authority-emsa-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EMSA