Guilfoyle Ambulance Service

Guilfoyle Ambulance was established as an ambulance service in 1907 by Dennis E. Guilfoyle who operated a funeral home and flower shop. The business was located in the 100 block of Stone Street in the city of Watertown, across from Arcade Street. The first ambulance was a horse drawn carriage. The carriage transported both the deceased and the sick and injured. When an ambulance was needed, the operator attached the carriage to a white horse and the black horse was used for the deceased. Mr. Guilfoyle passed away on June 14, 1929 of pneumonia, and was laid to rest in Glenwood Cemetery in the Town of Watertown. The Guilfoyle family was believed to be from Ireland. Mrs. Guilfoyle continued to operate the business until her death in 1943. The Guilfoyle estate continued the operation of the Ambulance Company and funeral home.
Guilfoyle was sold in 1946 to Nello Poli, who also was an undertaker. The Poli funeral home was located on Clinton Street, in the City of Watertown, in the vicinity of the Watertown Savings Bank parking lot. Mr. Poli operated the funeral home under his own name and continued to operate the ambulance company under the name of Guilfoyle Ambulance Service.

Guilfoyle serviced the entire county of Jefferson during this time.

In 1955 Guilfoyle was purchased by Donald Pond and Bernard Pooler, who operated the business out of the old Guilfoyle building garage located on upper Stone Street. Later the business was operated from the homes of Pond and Pooler who resided at 323 and 411 Stone Street respectively. Mr. Pond retired from the business in the early 1960's and sold his partnership to Walter Sherman Smith who resided on Stone Street and later at 214 Massey Street. In the early 1960's when Smith purchased the old Taylor estate carriage house, the ambulances, a 1959 Mercury station wagon, a 1961 and 1963 Cadillac ambulance were stored in a heated garage on the Smith property.

In 1971 Mr. Smith passed away and in 1973 Mr. Pooler sold the business to Bruce M. Wright who operated the business until his sudden and unexpected death. Mr. Wright left behind a wife Charmaine Grey Wright of 15 years and three young sons. Bruce M., Thomas, and Travis. Mrs. Wright assumed control of the company and is now President and CEO.

In May of 2013 Charmaine Wright passed away after a short illness. Her oldest sone Bruce G Wright assumed the role of President and CEO shortly after her death. Thomas and Travis are both active in the company and the company continues to provide the same quality service it has for the past 106 years.

Guilfoyle is believed to the oldest continually run commercial ambulance service in the country and currently serves the City of Watertown, Village of Dexter, Town of Brownville, Town of Alexandria, Plessis, Redwood, Alexandria Bay, Town of Rutland, Town of Pamelia and maintains a certificate of need for the entire County of Jefferson and bordering townships in St Lawrence, Lewis and Oswego Counties. Guilfoyle also maintains coverage contracts for Fort Drum, the home of the 10th Mountain Division.

Guilfoyle is certified at the Paramedic level and provides basic and advanced life support transportation as well as Paramedic service for over 8500 requests and over 600 transports each year. Guilfoyle currently has a staff of over 120 employees hired from within the communities and operates 16 Ambulances, 5 Fly Cars, and 5 Invalid Coach wheel chair vans.

The invalid Coach Service was started in 1991 and transports over 2600 clients per year. In 1999 Guilfoyle was awarded and maintains the contract to provide the City of Watertown Para transit Bus Service.

In 1998 Guilfoyle opened the EMS store and carries a wide variety of emergency medical supplies and equipment.

Guilfoyle employs over 35 Nationally Certified Emergency Medical Dispatchers and was the first Nationally Licensed Dispatch Centers in NNY, getting licensed in 1994 to provide pre arrival instructions in life threatening situations. In a cooperative effort between Jefferson County 911 Center and Guilfoyle Ambulance this service is provided to anyone who calls 911 in Jefferson County or calls Guilfoyle Ambulance directly.

Guilfoyle Ambulance has an employee lease program that has been utilized by several area ambulance services to supplement staffing.

Guilfoyle participates in several community and sporting events.