A call comes in and the ATS medical team heads out. It's all in a days work for this successful Rockford business. ATS medical services began as a six man, one ambulance operation in 2005, but they have since grown to 75 strong with contracts as far away as Texas. Brad Bull, co-owner of ATS, shares one of the secrets of his success.

"We're innovators. We're able to look outside the box and realize the change and be able to adapt."

For instance, instead of just providing ambulance service, ATS provides staffing services for area fire departments including Rockford, Durand and eventually Winnebago and Polo. This willingness to diversify has helped safeguard the business. Technology has also played a role in their success.

"There's a big screen we've got in our dispatch center were each ambulance is equipped with it's own laptop and as far as the laptop is concerned it's got a tracking software so we can actually look on the computer screen and see where the ambulance is at all times."

Bull says this allows them to quickly coordinate their team so they can get to the scene faster. Innovative technology and thinking combined with what Bull says are excellent employees allow ATS the ability to continue rescuing us even when the economy is sick.

Bull says ATS is not immune to the economy, they have seen a slight ten percent drop in revenue compared to this time last year. One of the causes for this drop stems from a larger number of patients unable to pay for insurance.