Anyone who did not receive a fund drive request letter may contact the agency by calling 301-824-3314.
Smithsburg Emergency Medical Services (SEMS) is a volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Ulrich stressed that the fund drive is a major source of operating income for the department because in Washington County, there is no direct tax or fee to support emergency medical services.
As of Nov. 1, approximately 10 percent of households in the response area made donations to the department.
SEMS: Make sure address is properly marked
SMITHSBURG - With winter weather fast approaching, Smithsburg Emergency Medical Services representatives are urging residents to make sure that homes, driveways and/or mailboxes are properly marked with numerical addresses.
Houses should have the numerical address listed and not spelled out. It is also helpful if the house number is reflective and large enough to read from the farthest edge of the road, said SEMS Assistant Chief James Ulrich.
If you have a driveway, it needs to be clearly marked. A driveway that is shared by multiple residences poses a special challenge. Along the main road, each individual house number should be posted. If the main driveway splits off, each split should have the appropriate house numbers listed there, as well.
Mailboxes should be marked with the address on both sides, not just the side from which the postal carrier approaches. This benefits not only the EMS company, but fire and police departments as well.
Smithsburg EMS responds to 82 calls in November
SMITHSBURG - For the month of November, Smithsburg Emergency Medical Services (SEMS) responded to 82 calls for service, bringing the 2008 total to 974 calls as of Dec. 1.
The November calls included 18 within Smithsburg town limits and 11 in the Leitersburg area. There were seven calls each to the Mount Aetna and Cascade/Pen Mar areas.
Mutual-aid calls to neighboring counties included six to Frederick County, Md., and seven to Franklin County, Pa. Another six calls were to the Hagerstown area and one was to the Boonsboro area.
During the month, SEMS personnel transported 57 patients to local hospitals, responded to assist with a structure fire, and provided a standby crew for the Smithsburg High School playoff football game.
