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For almost 30 years, Medics Ambulance has been providing emergency and medical transport services for patients in south Florida. Started three decades ago with one ambulance and one man’s vision, the company, which provided 90,000 transports last year, has since grown to include 90 ambulances and more than 500 employees.

“I believe the reason that we’ve been so successful is that we provide good service to our customers; we listen to them and strive to meet their needs,” explained Andrew Cohen, executive vice president and general manager. “We believe in an active, hands-on management style, and we work to create positive relationships with other health care professionals, and with the community.”
 
When Chairman and Founder Malcolm M. Cohen started the business in 1982, he used his experience as a former ambulance driver and EMS technician to benefit the south Florida market. “My dad was involved in EMS as a volunteer in Manhattan, New York before moving to Florida,” explained Cohen. “When he moved here, he took the opportunity to start an ambulance service. During its first year, Medics Ambulance responded to over 500 calls in Broward County.”
 
Now serving Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties, the family owned and operated company has doubled in size in the last four years. “My brother, Mitchell, and I have been involved in the business since college; now we run the company together,” said Cohen. Mitchell Cohen serves as the company’s CEO. “Dad is still involved, especially in senior-level decisions, though he no longer spends much time on day-to-day operations.”
 
After expanding the business to include Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties in 2002, the company implemented Zoll Data’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system in 2004. In 2006, they also implemented a new Global Positioning System-based Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) system.
 

The staff at Medics Ambulance Service participates in a number of disaster drills throughout the year. This one took place at NorthwestMedicalCenter.

“One of the things that has added to our success is the experience of our staff, who are all state-certified EMTs or paramedics,” said Cohen. “In addition to those designations, we provide additional training and certification in areas including quality, safety and driving, on an annual basis. We always try to promote from within; people who go above and beyond in their jobs have a lot of room here to grow.” Collectively, Medics Ambulance’s management team has over 150 years of experience in the EMS sector.
 
Medics Ambulance is also heavily involved in community activities, ranging from providing stand-by ambulance service at events including the Walkathon and Special Olympics to working with health care providers and hospitals on disaster drills and fundraisers. “We believe strongly in contributing to the community; it not only does a world of good, but it also helps to build business,” said Cohen.
 
In addition to many letters from organizations that they’ve helped, Medics Ambulance recently received a special commendation from the state for its support of Operation Haiti Relief. “In conjunction with multiple agencies from throughout the region, we helped to transport Haitian patients from the airport to local hospitals for care,” said Cohen, estimating that the company helped with between 40 and 50 repatriations.
 
Medics Ambulance has also deployed ambulances to aid in hurricane relief efforts. “Two years ago, we deployed ambulances through a national FEMA contract to help injured patients during Hurricanes Ike and Gustav,” said Cohen. “We provided multiple ambulances for multiple deployments.”
 

Photo credit Joe Dobson

The company has a Disaster Response Team, made up of approximately 100 employees on call in times of heightened awareness. “We are happy to sit down with clients and discuss evacuation agreements, especially now that hurricane season is here,” said Cohen. “We are able to mobilize to any hospital throughout the tri-county area to get facilities evacuated.
 
“While the Haitian relief effort and hurricane relief efforts are some of the more dramatic things that we do, most of what we do is serve individual calls,” he added. “We’re saving lives every day—it’s just our business.”