Serving Delmar, Elsmere, Glenmont, North Bethlehem, Selkirk, Slingerlands, and South Bethlehem NY
History
Early History
The Delmar Fire Department Rescue Squad was organized in 1939. The squad’s first ambulance was a converted 1934 Packard hearse, donated by Peter Applebee. At the time there were only two other ambulances in Albany County. The squad’s next ambulance was a 1948 Packard. In 1960, a Cadillac ambulance was received, again a gift from Mr. Applebee. At that time the rescue squad answered approximately 20 calls per month.
In 1956, a small group of people met at the Bethlehem Grange to found the Bethlehem Volunteer Ambulance Service. The first ambulance was purchased with 12,000 books of green stamps. The ambulance was housed in the Selkirk firehouse and rotated to the Glenmont firehouse and South Bethlehem firehouse on a weekly basis, until moving to the current ambulance building at 1121 Route 9W. The ambulance squad grew to have three ambulances and more than forty members.
The Early 2000s
In 2009 the Delmar Rescue Squad was spun off from the Delmar Fire Department and the Delmar Volunteer Ambulance Service was formed. The ambulance service and fire department worked closely together, sharing many members and continuing to be co-located in the Delmar Fire Stations. The ambulance squad grew to more than fifty members and had four ambulances. The Delmar Volunteer Ambulance Service was named the 2012 Agency of the Year for the Hudson-Mohawk Region.
In January 2013, Bethlehem Volunteer Ambulance Service and Delmar Volunteer Ambulance Service integrated their operations and announced their intention to merge the corporations and become Delmar-Bethlehem EMS (DBEMS). The merger was completed in early 2014.
2015 - Today
Upon the closure of the Voorheesville Area Ambulance Service (VAAS) in 2017, DBEMS offered to merge with the VAAS and give a new home to the members of VAAS so they could continue as volunteer EMTs. The merger was completed in 2018. DBEMS transferred the VAAS headquarters building to the Office of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office EMS Unit to serve as its new headquarters.
Our six red, gold, and purple ambulances were all rebranded in 2018 to DBEMS Blue.
DBEMS added an innovative Behavioral Health Officer program in 2018, partnering with a practicing clinical psychologist to improve support for patients with behavioral health issues and wellness for EMS providers.
Delmar-Bethlehem EMS was named the 2018 Agency of the Year for the six-county Hudson-Mohawk Region.
On May 19, 2019, DBEMS dedicated the new North Ambulance Station at 114 Adams Street, which was constructed by the Town of Bethlehem. Later in 2019, when NYS lowered the minimum age for EMT certification to 17, DBEMS created a new membership class allowing high school students the opportunity to join as DBEMS EMTs.
The DBEMS bunk-in program debuted in 2020, providing college students with the opportunity to receive free housing in exchange for being an ambulance volunteer. Working in partnership with the Elsmere Fire Department, the bunk-in program can host up to seven EMTs and firefighters each semester.
Off-road ambulance 5180 was added in 2020 to help DBEMS serve the Mohawk Hudson Rail Trail, which has limited roadway access.
Being the product of the merger of three different agencies, DBEMS has also demonstrated that proud not-for-profit agencies can come together as one to create a stronger future. Three agencies with great histories are now one proud and successful agency.
Today DBEMS is a volunteer-led not-for-profit community-based corporation that works in partnership with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office EMS Unit to provide ambulance service for the Town of Bethlehem and part of the Town of New Scotland. DBEMS continues to utilize both volunteer and paid responders to serve the community.
DBEMS responds to more than nearly 5,000 calls annually. DBEMS is predominantly volunteer from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am every night. Approximately 65 volunteer EMTs, Advanced EMTs, paramedics, and emergency vehicle operators respond to calls for medical assistance. These volunteers put in more than 15,000 hours each year.
The Delmar Fire Department Paramedics were among the first paramedics in Albany County and in the late 1970s brought advanced life support care to the Town of Bethlehem.