When you call 911 for your Medical, Fire, or Police emergencies, the call is answered by Weston's Certified Emergency Dispatchers at the Town Dispatch Center in the Emergency Services Complex on Norfield Road.
The best and fastest way to get a response to your emergency is to patiently answer all the questions the 911 Dispatcher asks you. We understand that it can be difficult to be patient when you're terrified, but if you can remain as calm as possible and answer questions clearly, things will go much faster. When seconds count, you don't want to waste any time repeating yourself, or screaming while the Dispatcher tries to calm you down.
It may seem that we are wasting time asking silly questions, but what you don't know is that units may already be responding to your location. We save the Police Officers, Firefighters, and EMTs precious time at the scene by asking you these questions while they are en-route, then the information is relayed to them over their secure radios and mobile computers.
You might think some of the questions are irrelevant or obvious, but we ask a series of questions that are specifically designed to get the critical information we need from you and convey it most efficiently to the First Responders. Most importantly, you need to clearly provide:
Please follow any emergency instructions that the Dispatcher may give you. Our Dispatchers are trained in recognizing cardiac arrest symptoms and will connect you to our regional medical communication center where they will instruct you in giving CPR chest compressions while the ambulance is on the way.
Throughout its history, the Weston Volunteer EMS has received indispensable financial support from donors who have chosen to make substantial annual gifts, or bequests, to support our mission. We are proud to recognize these benefactors who have donated $10,000 or more, or who have chosen to include the WVEMS in their estate plans, as Guardian Angels of the Weston Volunteer EMS.
Becoming a Guardian Angel demonstrates a profound commitment to the mission of the Weston Volunteer EMS. The Guardian Angels provide the foundation for our long-term success by providing critical financial resources and a stream of future earnings to relieve pressure on annual fundraising activities and to help defray the cost of major expenditures for facilities, ambulances, equipment, supplies and training. Future generations will be grateful to you for ensuring the continued quality of the emergency medical care in the Town of Weston. If you have already included WVEMS in your estate plans, please let us know so that we may thank you for your generosity as a Guardian Angel!
Please consider becoming a Guardian Angel and leaving a legacy of your own to help sustain our wonderful volunteer tradition of "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" in the town of Weston. To learn more contact us at (203) 222-2600 or [info]@westonems.com
Bequest Through a Will or Trust. The most popular, and simplest, way to make a legacy gift is under your Will or Trust. You may prescribe a specific dollar amount, a percentage or a residual amount of the estate or trust to be donated to the Weston Volunteer EMS (WVEMS), or you may make a bequest of real estate, stocks, bonds, or other tangible property to the WVEMS. This provision can be made through a new Will or Trust, or added to a codicil or amendment attached to an existing document.
Assignment of Life Insurance. Another very popular, and easy, method of making a legacy donation is through the gift or assignment of the proceeds of a life insurance policy. Weston Volunteer EMS may be named as the sole, partial, or contingent beneficiary of a new or existing policy. Also, a paid-up life insurance policy may be donated to the Weston Volunteer EMS, thereby making the WVEMS the owner and sole beneficiary of the policy. The gift of an insurance policy can result in significant tax deductions for the donor.
Donation of Retirement Plan Assets. Assets accumulated in pensions, profit-sharing plans, 401(k)s, and IRAs often constitute a substantial portion of your assets. When left to the Weston Volunteer EMS, retirement plan assets, which are typically includable in your taxable estate, can escape both income and estate taxation to maximize the value of your gift.
These are just a few of the ways that you can make a legacy gift to the Weston Volunteer EMS.
This information is intended to convey general information only and not to provide specific legal, tax or accounting advice. Donors should consult with their legal and tax advisors concerning the specific design of their personal legacy giving programs.
No. Unlike the WVFD, the WVEMS does not receive financial support from the Town of Weston. EMS pays all of its operating expenses and capital requirements from donations that are generously contributed by citizens of Weston, local businesses, civic organizations and other private parties.
No. The fundraising efforts for the WVFD & the WVEMS are completely independent.
Zero. If transported to the hospital via WVEMS ambulance the WVEMS provides emergency hospital transport free of charge.
Both Medicare and private health insurance policies only cover a small portion of ambulance and life support care. Because we are all volunteers, we believe that this is a community service that should be free of charge.
The WVEMS is dependent upon donations to pay for all of its equipment and operating expenses. The annual operating expense is approximately $150,000. Additionally, the WVEMS periodically makes large capital outlays for equipment such as radios and ambulances. In 2016, the WVEMS spent $225,000 to purchase and equip a new ambulance.
All of the EMTs live or work in Weston and are unpaid volunteers. That is why our slogan is "Neighbors Helping Neighbors." If the WVEMS cannot fund its activities independently, this service would inevitably be provided by a commercial entity, supported by tax dollars and substantial charges for service and transport to the hospital.
We are an IRS qualified non-profit charity organized as a 501c3 under the Internal Revenue Code.
Come see us in the Community!
We provide EMS stand-by service at many Town events, including:
Text to donate to the Weston Volunteer Emergency Medical Services! Text GIVE to 888-303-7059
EpiPen is an injection that contains epinephrine, a chemical that narrows blood vessels and opens airways in the lungs. The allergic reactions, or anaphylaxis, treated with the use of EpiPen include those from insect stings or bites, certain foods, drugs, and other allergens.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, drugs (including alcohol) are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. The rate of deaths has more than doubled in the last 10 years. The way you react to an overdose could mean the difference between life and death.
Calling 9-1-1 triggers a response by the local police department, fire department and emergency medical services (EMS). But what is a Medical Emergency? And what if I'm not sure should I call? What should I do NOW? Always err on the side of caution. When in doubt, CALL 9-1-1.
When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on getting immediate CPR from someone nearby. CPR can double, or even triple, a victim’s chance of survival! Hands-Only CPR is simple. Just follow these two steps: 1. Call 911 and 2. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest
Thank you for coming to my rescue last week. The responders from Weston EMS were amazing – confident, kind, compassionate and calm.
I really appreciate your professionalism and the very capable care we received last week during my daughter’s anaphylactic allergic reaction. It was an incredibly scary experience and I am forever grateful for your aid and kindness.
