Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services

What Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services does

Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1949 that provides Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance services across a 210-square-mile primary service area in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The agency operates three Pennsylvania Department of Health-licensed BLS ambulances with at least one unit staffed in-house around the clock, responding to nearly 2,000 calls per year and serving approximately 20,000 year-round residents across Bellefonte Borough, Milesburg, Unionville, and portions of Spring, Benner, Boggs, Marion, Howard, Union, and Huston townships. The organization is staffed by 36 career personnel and more than 25 volunteers under Executive Director/Chief S. Scott Rhoat, with mutual aid coordination through Howard Fire Company's Quick Response Service, ALS paramedic units for advanced cases, and Centre County 911 dispatch.

Bellefonte EMS runs four core service lines: emergency 911 ambulance response, non-emergency inter-facility ambulance transport, para-transit wheelchair van service (three PUC-licensed vehicles), and on-site special event medical coverage for entities including Penn State University and local school districts. An American Heart Association-certified CPR and First Aid training program serves businesses and individuals at the Bellefonte facility or on-site at workplaces.

The revenue model is a hybrid of fee-for-service insurance billing (outsourced to a New Cumberland, PA billing firm), which represents roughly 85% of the ~$1.2 million 2024 operating budget; limited financial support from approximately 10 municipalities (10%); and an annual subscription membership program priced at $60 individual/$75 family that covers co-pays, deductibles, lift assists, and patient refusals (~7% of revenue), with supplemental tax-deductible community donations. No AI, software platform, or technology buildout is associated with the operation; the competitive position is grounded in regulatory licensure, embedded 911 dispatch rights, and 76 years of community trust.

Name

Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services

Legal name

Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services

Website

https://bems.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit BLS ambulance agency founded in 1949, serving approximately 20,000 residents across a 210-square-mile area in Centre County, Pennsylvania with three ambulances, three wheelchair vans, and 61-plus volunteer and career personnel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Medical Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (62191)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Response, Assistance & Medical Evacuation Services (THACAEAC)

Keywords

• Emergency medical services
• Basic life support ambulance
• Non-emergency patient transport
• Para-transit wheelchair service
• CPR and first aid training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pennsylvania Furnace

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fee-for-Service Reimbursement: Primary revenue source (85-90% of annual operating budget) through billing health insurance carriers, Medicare, and automobile insurance for ambulance transports. Third-party billing outsourced to a company in New Cumberland, PA.
2. Annual Subscription Memberships: Annual ambulance subscription program offering $60 individual and $75 family memberships. Covers co-pays, deductibles, and provides full coverage for lift assists and patient refusals. Accounts for approximately 7% of annual revenue.
3. Municipal Support: Limited financial support from 10 municipalities in primary response area, constituting approximately 10% of overall budget.
4. Community Donations: Tax-deductible donations from the community as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, used for equipment updates and staff education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance agency that delivers 24/7 emergency ambulance response, non-emergency patient transport, para-transit wheelchair van transportation, and CPR/First Aid training to residents of Bellefonte and surrounding communities in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The organization also offers an annual subscription membership program that supplements insurance gaps for co-pays, deductibles, lift assists, and patient refusals.

Product overview

Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services operates as a single, unified emergency medical services organization offering a portfolio of inter-related EMS and transportation services. Its core offerings center on emergency and non-emergency Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance transport (staffed 24/7 by three ambulances), supplemented by para-transit wheelchair van services for non-emergency medical transportation, and special event medical standbys at community events. Additional service lines include American Heart Association-certified CPR and First Aid training, and an annual ambulance subscription membership program. The subscription program functions as a co-pay/deductible wrap-around for insured patients and as full coverage for uninsured patients, while simultaneously generating revenue for equipment upgrades and staff training. All services operate out of a single location in Bellefonte, PA, and are funded primarily through fee-for-service reimbursement, municipal support, subscriptions, and community donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Ambulance Services 24/7 emergency ambulance response and transport staffed by two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), operating three Pennsylvania Department of Health-licensed Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances. Handles emergency calls including vehicle accidents, chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke, seizures, unconscious persons, diabetic emergencies, broken bones, uncontrolled bleeding, and other life-threatening conditions for residents in the Bellefonte area.
• Non-Emergency Ambulance Transport Non-emergency ambulance transports for patients with a qualifying medical need between hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other healthcare locations. Provides transport for patients who require medical evaluation or monitoring during transit but do not have an acute emergency.
• Para-Transit Wheelchair Van Service Non-emergency wheelchair and stretcher van transportation operated by three PUC-licensed vehicles for individuals who use a wheelchair, need assistance getting around, or require a stretcher but do not need medical evaluation, monitoring, or treatment during the trip. Serves scheduled doctor visits, rehabilitation or therapy sessions, outpatient procedures, and hospital discharges. Patients are responsible for payment as Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial insurance do not cover this service.
• Special Event Medical Coverage On-site ambulance and emergency medical coverage for community events including high school football games (Bellefonte and Bald Eagle School Districts), Penn State Beaver Stadium events, lacrosse games, charity walks, 5K runs, bike rides, karate tournaments, car shows, and arts and crafts fairs.
• CPR & First Aid Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2,000 calls per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ambulance Association of PennsylvaniacoreOthersBellefonte EMS is a member of the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania, an organization representing EMS agencies across the state.
• American Ambulance AssociationcoreOthersBellefonte EMS is a member of the American Ambulance Association, the national organization representing ambulance services.
• Centre County Ambulance AssociationminorOthersBellefonte EMS is a member of the local county-level ambulance association for coordination with other EMS agencies in the region.
• Seven Mountains EMS CouncilminorOthersRegional EMS council providing coordination and support for EMS agencies in the Seven Mountains region.
• PA Emergency Health Services CouncilminorOthersState-level council providing oversight and support for EMS services in Pennsylvania.
• New Cumberland Ambulance Billing CompanycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOutsourced ambulance billing functions to a specialized company in New Cumberland, PA due to complexities in submitting and processing claims with health insurance companies. Handles all insurance claim submissions and patient billing.
• Bellefonte Borough and Spring Township Police DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolice officers with medical training and AED equipment are dispatched alongside Bellefonte EMS for emergency incidents, providing additional response capability.
• Howard Fire CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoward Fire Company operates Quick Response Service (QRS) units with medically trained personnel that may arrive prior to the ambulance to begin life-saving treatment.
• ALS (Advanced Life Support) AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhen patient severity requires advanced care, ALS units staffed with paramedics are dispatched to assist. Paramedics arrive at scene, begin treatment, and accompany patients to the hospital in the BLS ambulance.
• Centre County 911 CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCounty government-operated 911 dispatch center serving all of Centre County that dispatches Bellefonte EMS for emergency incidents in their service area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Falck USA: Subsidiary of Danish-based Falck Group operating ambulance and emergency medical services across the U.S. Directly comparable 911 and non-emergency ambulance offering but at multi-state, enterprise scale.
• Priority Ambulance: Privately held EMS company operating across multiple U.S. states with 911, interfacility, and special event services. Comparable service portfolio but operates as a for-profit roll-up rather than a community nonprofit.
• American Medical Response (AMR): National for-profit ambulance provider owned by Global Medical Response, operating across hundreds of U.S. communities including Pennsylvania. Comparable core ambulance services but at vastly larger scale and with investor-owned ownership structure.

Others

• American Heart Association (Training Network): National certifying body whose curriculum Bellefonte EMS uses for its CPR/First Aid training program. Not a competitor but a key partnership enabler for the training revenue line, and a benchmark for community training reach.

Direct peers

• Malvern Fire Company EMS: Volunteer-based EMS and fire company serving Malvern and surrounding Chester County, PA. Similar community-rooted, subscription-supported nonprofit EMS model serving a small-town geography in Pennsylvania.
• Tri-Community Ambulance: Non-profit Pennsylvania EMS agency providing ambulance, wheelchair, and community services in the suburban Pittsburgh region. Same non-profit, multi-service, subscription-supported structure as Bellefonte EMS.
• Cetronia Ambulance Corps: Non-profit EMS agency serving the Lehigh Valley, PA region with BLS/ALS ambulance, wheelchair transport, and community training programs. Comparable Pennsylvania nonprofit community EMS model with similar revenue mix.
• Good Fellowship Ambulance: Non-profit community EMS and training organization in West Chester, PA, providing BLS ambulance, wheelchair transport, and AHA training. Closely mirrors Bellefonte EMS in scope, nonprofit structure, and subscription-style community programs.
• Mount Nittany Health Life Lion EMS: Hospital-affiliated EMS agency serving the State College/greater Centre County region. Comparable Pennsylvania EMS footprint and overlapping mutual-aid agreements; operates at a larger scale with hospital system backing.
• Centre LifeLink EMS: Non-profit BLS/ALS ambulance service headquartered in State College, PA, operating in the same Centre County service region as Bellefonte EMS. Directly comparable mission, payer mix, and dispatch relationships through the same county 911 center.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bellefonte-emergency-medical-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Bellefonte Emergency Medical Services