Acadian Ambulance
| Company type | Private, employee-owned |
|---|---|
| Industry | Emergency medical services |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Roland Dugas, Richard Zuschlag, Rolland Buckner |
| Headquarters | Lafayette, Louisiana , United States |
Area served | Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi |
Key people | Richard Zuschlag (CEO and Chairman) |
| Products | Emergency and non-emergency medical transportation, air medical evacuations, aircraft charter, personal medical alert systems, fire and burglary alarms, industrial medical staffing, fire and safety technicians, medical and industrial training programs, billing software |
Number of employees | 4000+ |
Acadian Ambulance is a privately held, employee-owned ambulance company based in Lafayette, Louisiana. It operates extensively throughout Louisiana, significant regions of Texas, two counties in Tennessee, and one county in Mississippi. In 1995, it was acknowledged as the largest privately owned ambulance provider in the United States. Acadian manages both emergency and non-emergency medical transportation services in major areas including Louisiana, Southeast, Central and North Texas, Jackson County (Mississippi), and the cities of Nashville and Memphis in Tennessee.
The organization boasts a fleet comprising over 400 ground ambulances, eight medical transport helicopters, and five fixed-wing aircraft dedicated to air medical evacuations. Besides emergency response, Acadian diversifies its offerings with aircraft charter options, personal medical alert systems, fire and burglary alarm services, industrial medical staffing, fire and safety technicians, comprehensive medical and industrial training programs, as well as billing software solutions.
History
Established in 1971 by entrepreneurs Roland Dugas, Richard Zuschlag (who currently serves as CEO and Chairman), and Rolland Buckner, Acadian was created to address the void left when funeral homes ceased ambulance operations due to federal regulations. The founders obtained permission from the Lafayette Police Jury to provide emergency medical services financed through a membership subscription model—a distinctive approach that remains today.
The company began operations with two ambulances and a team of eight medics, initially serving 8,400 member households. Expansion came swiftly: by 1972, service extended to St. Mary and Vermilion Parishes; by 1973 it included Acadia, Jefferson Davis, St. Martin, Terrebonne Parishes, and the city of Eunice. Membership surged past 70,000 households. Early investments were made in technology with the implementation of a model dispatch system and construction of a new headquarters featuring an advanced Emergency Medical Dispatch Center in 1974.
By the mid-1970s, Acadian employed approximately 100 personnel including 75 EMTs and operated 33 ambulances covering over 80,000 households. In 1976, the company formalized EMT training aligned with national certification standards. Membership exceeded 100,000 by 1979 alongside expansion into Assumption Parish and adoption of telemetry systems capable of transmitting EKG data directly to hospitals.
Over more than forty years, Acadian has expanded its market presence through strategic acquisitions and exclusive contracts—occasionally secured through legal proceedings—establishing a dominant position across the parishes and counties it serves. Today’s corporate structure encompasses six divisions catering to an international clientele while maintaining robust regional leadership in emergency medical services throughout Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Acadian Companies
What began as a modest ambulance operation in Lafayette in 1971 has grown into a multi-divisional enterprise employing over 4,000 staff members. Acadian’s six divisions encompass Emergency Medical Technicians, pilots, health and safety specialists supported by an extensive fleet of more than 400 ground ambulances along with helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Acadian Ambulance Service
Formed in response to federal legislation that prohibited hearses from being used for emergency transport, Acadian Ambulance Service started with three founders operating two ambulances staffed by eight medics serving Lafayette Parish. The company rapidly expanded as surrounding parishes sought access to its emergency medical capabilities.
Air Med
In response to population growth and challenging terrain, Acadian launched Air Med Services in 1981 with the first medical helicopter stationed in Lafayette. By 1989, Air Med incorporated fixed-wing aircraft for both long-distance emergency and non-emergency patient transfers. Its fleet includes King Air planes and a Learjet 45 that support both medical missions and business charter flights.
Executive Aircraft Charter Service
The fixed-wing aircraft segment evolved into Executive Aircraft Charter Service which provides customizable interior layouts for corporate or leisure travel throughout North America when not engaged in medical transport duties.
Safety Management Systems
Air Med was a pioneer in deploying hospital-equipped helicopters staffed with flight paramedics operating in the Gulf of Mexico to enhance safety for offshore workers. This innovation led to collaborations with oil and gas firms and the establishment of Safety Management Systems (SMS). SMS delivers comprehensive health, safety, environmental compliance, medical support, security services, training programs, wellness testing initiatives, specialized offerings, and remote paramedic coverage. It is now recognized as a leading provider within industrial safety compliance sectors.
Acadian Total Security
Starting as Acadian On Call in 1991, Acadian Monitoring Services provides personal medical alert devices, mobile monitoring solutions including GPS tracking, fleet safety programs, video surveillance systems, access control technologies, and telehealth monitoring through three dedicated call centers. Since 2014 it has expanded consumer security offerings under the brand Acadian Total Security featuring advanced video surveillance capabilities.
National EMS Academy
Addressing a shortage of paramedics amid organizational growth led Acadian to establish the National EMS Academy in partnership with South Louisiana Community College in 2003. This academy delivers extensive EMT and paramedic education via a rigorous 700-hour National Registry paramedic curriculum along with ongoing continuing education designed to support workforce development initiatives.
Legal challenges and litigation
On March 26, 1998, Acadian Ambulance consented to a $1.9 million payment to resolve claims related to excessive billing of Medicare and Medicaid between 1990 and 1994. No fraud determinations or penalties were applied.
Following an injury sustained during a patient transfer from a hospital to a rehabilitation facility in June 2000, Acadian initially secured a summary judgment. However, in 2006, the Louisiana Court of Appeals overturned this decision due to unresolved factual issues concerning the injury.
On December 27, 2010, an Acadian Ambulance was involved in a collision with a sugar cane truck while transporting a pregnant woman near Brusly, Louisiana. The patient underwent an emergency Caesarean section but remained in critical condition. A lawsuit filed afterward resulted in a jury awarding $116.9 million in 2012, which was later settled for a significantly lower sum.
During the response to Hurricane Katrina, Acadian provided ambulance services in St. Bernard Parish. After halting evacuation efforts because of hazardous conditions, two residents drowned in floodwaters; their family pursued legal action against Acadian for negligence, culminating in a confidential settlement reached in 2009.
In December 2012, Acadian was mandated to pay $17 million following a class action lawsuit accusing the company of improperly placing liens on insurance settlements belonging to accident victims. The company appealed this ruling and ultimately agreed to a settlement below $5 million in June 2014. The lawsuit alleged that Acadian billed insurers of at-fault drivers at rates exceeding contracted healthcare providers; Acadian refuted these claims, emphasizing adherence to contractual terms. The case encompassed services rendered from January 1994 through December 2013.