Historically the company started in 1961 in Mansfield, my father [Jess Byrd] worked for a local funeral home that helped him get started.  The company has a rich history as my father was a true pioneer in EMS.  He had his staff trained by doctors and nurses before any training was required, was a founding member and past President of the Ohio Ambulance Association, was one of the first in the country to have ambulance to hospital radio communications, first in Ohio to have paramedic service (early employees had single and double digit paramedic cards), had one of the first mobile intensive care units, early in air medical transportation, and many firsts in equipment.  In 1974 [Byrd Ambulance] was named the most outstanding ambulance service in the nation by the American Ambulance Association. The ambulances and staff were filmed in the Highway Safety Foundation movies, which are still shown today in drivers-ed classes across the country.

Submitted to the National EMS Museum by Jay Byrd