Anchored in community
Gold Cross Ambulance traces its roots back more than 50 years to 1967. That rich history, with its roots in the Fox Valley community of northeastern Wisconsin, has anchored Gold Cross Ambulance as it continues its strong tradition of excellent service to the community.
1967 – Jim Welch purchased Lindy’s Ambulance. Jim had a vision for expanding the three-vehicle company with its 15 part-time staff, who were trained at the Red Cross Basic level.
1969 – Jim renamed the company Gold Cross Ambulance Service and hired full-time staff. He began training his staff to the EMT level. Jim also purchased radios to support communication with local hospitals.
1972 – Local hospitals purchase radios to allow for two-way communication with Gold Cross ambulances.
1974 – Partnered with local physicians and hospitals, the Gold Cross Ambulance staff was trained to the paramedic level. These paramedics were the first to be trained in Wisconsin without the aid of federal dollars.
1990 – Two local hospitals, the former Appleton Medical Center (now ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton) and Theda Clark Medical Center (now ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah), partnered with Gold Cross Ambulance. About this same time, Affinity Health System, now Ascension Wisconsin, partnered with Metro Ambulance.
1991 – The Gold Cross Ambulance of today was born when Gold Cross Ambulance and Metro Ambulance merged. The company had six paramedic-level ambulances, a support staff of three, 27 full-time paramedics and 15 part-time paramedics and nurses.
2013 – Waupaca Area Ambulance merged with Gold Cross Ambulance.
2014 – New London Ambulance merged with Gold Cross Ambulance.
2016 – Gold Cross Ambulance Service, Inc. celebrated 25 years of local healthcare partnerships and community service.