Training
Thank you for donating to our agency!
Please know that we truly appreciate every form of support that we receive from our community. Your donation will be used to facilitate the care provided to our community when it matters most.
Thank you,
The Volunteers of Harrisonburg Rescue Squad!
Administrative Membership
Administrative members are the people who work behind the scenes to keep our agency functioning. Administrative members do not answer calls but play a vital role in our success. Examples of tasks performed by current admin members include book-keeping and accounting, station maintenance and communication with the public and our donors.
There are no specific time requirements of admin members as they typically take on specific tasks which vary in time requirement. This membership category is open to any person who wishes to volunteer but does not want to answer EMS calls. Admin members can gain excellent job experience by taking on functions in the business side of the agency such as marketing, public-relations, IT, graphic-design, fundraising and many more.
If you are interested in administrative membership please submit an application and contact the President of the agency to discuss what talents and knowledge you are willing to lend to the success of our agency! Email to president@rescue40.org.
Junior Membership
Junior Membership is designed for students age 16-17 who are interested in the EMS field. It is a great way to introduce a student to community service, the medical field, and non-profit groups as well as providing exposure to a number of potential career fields not limited strictly to EMS or the medical industry.
Parents: Prior to being allowed to join, the membership chairman will schedule a meeting with you and the potential member to discuss what is expected from both sides.
There are some limits on junior members such as not being allowed to stay overnight and not being allowed to stay late on school nights. Also junior members are not allowed to drive our vehicles and are restricted from certain call types as much as possible. All of this will be explained during the initial meeting with member and parent. We also limit the number of junior members we have at one time so this category is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
| Requirements: | Details: |
| Monthly Duty Requirements | 6 Shifts or 48 Hours |
| Monthly & Special Meetings | Mandatory Attendance |
| Voting Privileges | No |
| Eligible for Operational Office | No |
| Age Requirement | 16-17 Years of Age |
Thank you for your interest!
Special Operations Membership
If you have technical rescue experience and training, HRS has opened a new class of membership designed just for you. The main focus of technical rescue members will be staffing of our Heavy Rescue vehicle. Experience and certification are requirements prior to acceptance of this membership category. Check back soon for more information on this new membership category.
| Requirements: | Details: |
| Monthly Duty Requirements | 24 Hours |
| Monthly & Special Meetings | Mandatory Attendance |
| Voting Privileges | No |
| Eligible for Operational Office | Yes |
Thank you for your interest!
Driving Membership
Driving Membership allows people who have an interest in answering calls but do not wish to become certified to provide medical care, to join the agency and still provide a vital service. Some of our driving members have previous experience as equipment operators, truck drivers or firefighters. Emergency Vehicle Operator Certification is expected to be obtained prior to or concurrent with joining. While driving members are not required to provide medical care, we do expect all people on the ambulance to be familiar with equipment and basic procedures. This allows the driving members to assist medical providers in the field.
| Requirements: | Details: |
| Monthly Duty Requirements | 6 Shifts or 48 Hours |
| Monthly & Special Meetings | Mandatory Attendance |
| Voting Privileges | Yes |
| Eligible for Operational Office | No |
| Special Requirement | If EMT, only required to do 4 shifts or 30 hours per month. No patient care required. |
Thanks for your interest!
Medic Membership
Harrisonburg Rescue Squad medics remain a resource for both our community and those around us. Often called upon in the toughest of situations, our medics are held to a very high standard of care. Combining that with our high call volume, many times there are medics who seek out membership with our agency to hone or maintain their skills. Our medic schedule is layered on top of our standard schedule to allow for medics to concentrate on answering ALS calls whenever possible using well equipped ALS chase vehicles. To apply for Medic membership you must be currently released as an EMT-I or EMT-P within the Central Shenandoah EMS Council. If you are not a current member of our agency you will be required to complete ALS precepting.
| Requirements: | Details: |
| Monthly Duty Requirements | 24 Hours |
| Monthly & Special Meetings | Mandatory Attendance |
| Voting Privileges | No |
| Eligible for Operational Office | No |
| Special Requirement |
Released at the “Medic” level by HRS and the Central Shenandoah EMS Council |
Thank you for your interest!
Associate Membership
Associate membership is designed to allow a reduced time requirement for those volunteers who may work in other related positions, such as public safety or healthcare. Associate membership must be approved by the Board of Directors and requires the applicant show that they are involved in another occupation or volunteer position that relates to EMS and that they are unable to commit to the standard time requirements. Examples of some of our associate members include personnel from paid fire/rescue agencies, police officers and nurses.
| Requirements: | Details: |
| Monthly Duty Requirements | 4 Shifts or 30 Hours |
| Monthly & Special Meetings | Mandatory Attendance |
| Voting Privileges | No |
| Eligible for Operational Office | No |
| Special Requirement | Employed with city/county fire or police departments; RMH; or special circumstance |
Thank you for your interest!
Senior Membership
Senior membership is the standard membership category for those who volunteer with our agency. Senior members complete EMT courses as well as emergency vehicle driving certification. They provide patient care during EMS incidents, operate equipment and become leaders capable of coordinating the activities of other volunteers. Senior members are typically the members who go on to hold operational and administrative leadership positions within the agency.
| Requirements: | Details: |
| Monthly Duty Requirements | 6 Shifts or 48 Hours |
| Monthly & Special Meetings | Mandatory Attendance |
| Voting Privileges | Yes |
| Eligible for Operational Office | Yes |
Thank you for your interest!
Q: Will it cost me a lot of money if I am transported by the rescue squad? A: If you are a citizen of Harrisonburg or Rockingham county, or attend a school within that region, the system is being designed to prevent you from receiving a bill. We are investigating our ability to expand that to people who live in Augusta county as well through a reciprocal agreement.
Q: What if I do not live in those three municipal areas? A: If we provide service to someone from outside our area, we will bill any available insurance prior to sending a bill to the patient. Should the insurance company deny the claim, or if there is a copay or deductible, the patient will be sent a series of invoices for the balance of their bill. We will have a hardship plan in place for those people outside our area who are able to document their inability to pay for services.
Q: If I live in the area, will I receive anything regarding the bill? A: If we are unable to obtain your insurance information prior to billing, you may receive a phone call and/or letter in an attempt to collect your insurance information. Your insurance company will also likely send you an “EOB” or Explanation of Benefits which outlines the invoice they were sent.
Q: If I do not have insurance will I receive a bill? A: Not if you live within the partnering municpal areas.
Q: Would anyone ever be denied service based on inability to pay? A: Absolutely not. First, our purpose is and will continue to be to provide the best care we possibly can to every person who needs us. This is only a way to help fund that goal. Second, the crews who respond will not be concerned with the billing functions of the agency. They see a patient…a person in need of assistance…not an insurance claim.
Q: Will you still be asking for donations and doing fundraisers? A: Yes. Our agency will remain a volunteer, non-profit, 501c3 designated agency. Revenue Recovery will provide a steady income which is at least somewhat reliable regardless of economic conditions at the time. However, it should be viewed as a supplement to the support we currently receive from the community, not a replacement. We will still rely on donations for many of our major purchases such as ambulances and other response vehicles.
Q: What do you do with this income? A: Running a rescue squad is an expensive task, even without a payroll to cover. The equipment and supplies we purchase tend to be extremely expensive. An ambulance, depending on design, can cost upwards of $275,000. A single cardiac monitor nears $40,000. A service vehicle often takes $45,000 to purchase and outfit. Then maintaining these items is expensive as well. We have expenses like any business, for utilities, hvac, insurance, uniforms, computers, etc…and of course, the medical supplies and even if not used, have to be replaced by expiration dates. If our income does increase, the biggest change we are likely to make is to increase the training opportunities available to our members. We will be able to host training in this area that typically we have to send people away to receive. For instance, did you know there is no Paramedic training available in the Shenandoah Valley? We routinely have members traveling several days per week to northern Virginia to take this course. We hope to work in conjunction with other training institutions in our area to develop new training programs here in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. There are also a number of excellent training programs that are not available in this region that we currently cannot afford to send our members or officers to attend. These courses would allow our agency to bring back what are termed “best practices” from agencies and teachers they would otherwise not have exposure to. Again, all in an effort to provide the best care possible to those we serve in our community.
Q: Why have a company in North Carolina do your billing? A: Medical coding, the process of turning care of the patient into a bill, requires special training and software. Ambulance billing specifically, is a sub specialty of this that not many people know how to do well. While there are billing agencies in Virginia who do ambulance billing, finding one that does it well and is a good fit to your agency without charging tremendous amounts of money is difficult. After a lengthy process, EMS Management and Consultants was chosen due to their references, their experience and their rate.
Make a Tax Deductible Donation to Harrisonburg Rescue Squad!
Since 1949, the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad has protected the lives of our fellow citizens throughout the city of Harrisonburg and parts of Rockingham County. HRS has been an all-volunteer organization from the moment it started.
The services we provide include emergency care on basic and advanced life support levels, heavy and light duty vehicle rescue, and specialized technical rescue. We respond to over 6,000 calls annually and rely on many volunteers who devote their time to serve their community.
As well as being a volunteer agency, we also provide all of our services "Free of Charge". Although we are free to use, we are not free to operate. Our squad requires over $400,000 per year to provide emergency medical services to the area.
The money that we use to operate consists largely of donations from citizens and businesses within the community. Each May and November, we organize Fund Drives to raise a majority of this money. Without your help, our goals will not be met.
Consider giving to the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. Won't you remember us? We always remember you...
Methods of Donation:
Cash
Please do not mail cash.
We are happy to accept cash donations at our station or when you see any of our members around town. Stop by 1700 Reservoir Street and ask one of our members for a tour when you drop off your donation.
By Check
We collect tax deductible donations mailed to our address.
Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Inc.
Attn: Donations
P.O. Box 1477
Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Stock Transfers
You can now donate to the rescue squad by transfer of stock! If you would wish to donate in this way, please contact our agency president in order to arrange for the transfer. You can call 540-434-2323 and select the option to speak with the president or you can send an email to president@rescue40.org.
Credit Card/Check Card
All funds donated by credit card are accepted through PayPal who deposits the money directly into our account. This is a secure and encrypted payment method.
Statistics
Yearly Totals:
- 2009: 6,799
- 2010: 6,967
- 2011: 7,164
| 2010 | 2011 | |
| January | 549 | 582 |
| February | 552 | 535 |
| March | 564 | 535 |
| April | 558 | 617 |
| May | 581 | 565 |
| June | 584 | 556 |
| July | 575 | 577 |
| August | 543 | 643 |
| September | 644 | 678 (record) |
| October | 662 (record) | 691 (record) |
| November | 583 | 542 |
| December | 572 | 642 |
| Total | 6,967 | 7,164 |
Billing
In 2010 HRS implemented a fee-for-service system also known as “Revenue Recovery”. With municipal budgets being reduced drastically, and requirements for the squad at an all time high, the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County in conjunction with the area fire and rescue agencies, developed a plan to help offset the increasing costs of providing emergency services. The HRS leadership was deeply involved in the planning process to assure that our community will benefit from this program, that there will be as little impact as possible to our patients and that our volunteers will not be unnecessarily burdened with paperwork.
If you have any questions for our agency about billing, we have set up a special email address: billing@rescue40.org to address questions and concerns. If you have a question about a letter you received regarding your insurance or a bill, please contact EMSMC directly by going to www.emsbilling.com or calling them at 800-814-5339.
History
After a downtown explosion in the old Masters Building in 1947, which killed 11 people, and a disastrous flood with fatalities in our area in 1949, seventeen concerned and dedicated men realized Harrisonburg needed a rescue squad.
In September 1949, the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad was chartered and began to deliver volunteer, pre-hospital medical care and patient transport for our community. The eighteen men were: William Bowman, Lawrence Bryan, H.K. Darr, D. Delllinger, Warren Denton, Warren Early, Fred Earman, Harry Earman, Boyd Garber, Bill Humes, Roy Leach, Buddy McInturff, Lawrence McInturff, Lawerence Long, Ormand Lorentz, Dewey Senger, Norlyn Senger, and John Stearn.
The Harrisonburg Rescue Squad was one of the earliest volunteer rescue squads organized in the state of Virginia and in the entire United States!
The first rescue/crash truck, a GMC ton panel truck, was given to the squad by the Harrisonburg Fire Company and cost approximately $1200. These generous men would at times give from their own pockets for gas to run their rescue vehicles. First aid supplies and 2 resuscitators were purchased. The squad’s first ambulance was a Mercury station wagon, converted into an Ambulance, and was donated by Royal Motors of Harrisonburg.
In 1950, the first full year of their existence, the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad ran 192 calls. Being the only rescue squad in the area, Harrisonburg covered a large area and was known to run calls over to Pendleton County, West Virginia, north beyond Woodstock, south to Staunton, and east past Shenandoah and Elkton.
Some of the earliest runs members recall include a drowning near Timberville off of Rt. 11. Another early call was for an airplane crash near Kratzer Road and Virginia Avenue. 2 people were onboard. One fatality, one was saved. 3 sailors visiting the Harrisonburg area crashed their automobile as they were leaving the area to return to Norfolk. All 3 died when they hit a concrete wall near old Rt. 33.
Harrisonburg Rescue was known for their extrication expertise and saved many victims in motor vehicle crashes. HRS was often called to scenes over 50 miles away due to their extrication abilities and their quick response.
An early extrication from a vehicle involved a patient trapped under his car, which landed on its roof after rolling. Despite many efforts members were unable to free him. Squad members’ ingenuity helped save the victim when they took off the tires from the car and used them to help lift and hold the car off the victim. On that same night there were 2 other wrecks that Harrisonburg responded to. Instructors in extrication were in the area for a class being held here and assisted on the 3 wrecks that evening. They commented that they learned extrication techniques from this squad.
One crash involved a man trapped in his vehicle by his leg. Efforts to extricate him were unsuccessful until a Harrisonburg member thought to untie the patient’s shoe. This freed his leg and the patient was then removed from the vehicle.
In 1957, Harrisonburg Rescue purchased their first actual ambulance. It was a Pontiac, which the members recall proudly driving here from the manufacturer.
Harrisonburg Rescue was housed on Newman Avenue with Fire Company #1 until 1970. Both companies moved to their new station on Maryland Avenue that year.
In 1999, 50 years after being chartered, HRS had approximately 80 active members running 911 calls and maintaining the functioning and business needs of the organization. HRS ran approximately 5,400 calls [in 1999] and had a massive celebration of its 50 year anniversary.
In July 2003 the agency moved to the first station built specifically for the rescue squad. Located at 1700 Reservoir Street the building houses all operational equipment indoors and offers areas for all of the tasks that the Maryland Avenue location just didn’t have room for.
Today, HRS owns and maintains 9 ambulances, 5 response vehicles, a Heavy Rescue Vehicle. Also in service is a Mass Casualty Incident Response Unit that the only of it’s kind in the entire region. A Dodge truck equipped with a snow plow and two training vehicles complete the HRS vehicle fleet.
HRS now has over 120 active volunteer members and responds to over 7000 calls-for-service per year. The volunteers take pride in the ability to provide extensive life-saving services with absolutely no paid staff, administrative or operational. Harrisonburg Rescue is proud of its history and over 60 years of providing free emergency services to the community.
History compiled and written by: Leslie Ney NREMT-P, Life Member
Community
“…the saving and preservation of human lives; to give aid and assistance to persons in time of peril and disaster” – HRS Articles of Incorporation, 1950
In 1949, citizens from our area worked together to create a volunteer agency named Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. The following year they incorporated via documents that still bear their names. Included was an outline of the major purposes for the squad’s existence from which the above quote is taken.
Over 60 years later, this remains the focus of our agency and our members. This singularity of purpose motives us. As our members accept tasks and responsibilities, they do so as part of a team effort that seeks a single outcome: to save lives and give aid and assistance to those in need.
Our industry is evolving. The lines between pre-hospital care, primary care and social services are narrowing. For example, paramedics in some communities make home visits to decrease the use of 911 resources for non-emergent needs. Over the next decade, the delivery of EMS services will change significantly. However, our purpose and our focus will remain the same.
Another factor that has remained is our attachment to our community. We are your rescue squad. The Harrisonburg – Rockingham community has supported our agency for over 60 years and today, as always, we strive to do our best to serve this community. We truly appreciate the support we have received over the years and respect the amount of trust placed in us to provide care to those who are in their time of greatest need. We are proud of our community and hope to always be an agency which you can be proud of as well.
Membership
The Harrisonburg Rescue Squad is an all volunteer organization that answers over 7,200 calls each year. This squad is dependent on people like you to volunteer your time to provide care for those in need. Volunteering has many intangible benefits and is exceptionally rewarding for our providers as well.
Who Can Volunteer? You!
To become a member of Rescue 40 you need to complete and observer shift, maintain a valid CPR certification, and submit the membership application.
If accepted, all members are required to attend an Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) within four months. Free in-house EVOC classes are offered almost monthly that are specific to HRS Standard Operating Procedures.
If not already certified, senior and associate members are required to be enrolled in an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class within 6 months of joining. Membership with Rescue 40 allows you GUARANTEED seating for classes at our station with free tuition. Additional classes are regularly offered in the area.
As previously mentioned we require each applicant to complete an observer shift with our agency prior to accepting your application. This gives you the opportunity to see what Rescue 40 is all about and decide if you are willing to make the serious commitment to improving the lives of those in our community. Please review all information on the observer form and the observer dress code before the start of your observer shifts.
Our agency uses TimeTrade scheduling to allow people to sign up for an observer shift. Links to schedule those shifts are below. Observer shifts are available all days of the week during the following times:
A Shift: 7:00am - 1:00pm (Click to Schedule A Shift)
B Shift: 1:00pm – 7:00pm (Click to Schedule B Shift)
C SHift: 7:00pm – 11:00pm. (Click to Schedule C Shift)
Any questions or concerns you have may be directed via email to our membership committee at: membership@rescue40.org.
Thank you for your interest!
Hilary Jacobson,
Membership Chair
News & Updates
Keep up with the latest information from Harrisonburg Rescue Squad.
Photos
Below are pictures from some of events and incidents that HRS has been a part of.
Contact Us
If you have an emergency please call 911.
The non-emergency number for our agency is 540-434-2323. While we are here 24 hours per day, you are most likely to be able to contact someone by calling during business hours Monday through Friday.
Harrisonburg Rescue
Harrisonburg Rescue Squad is a volunteer agency that provides service to Harrisonburg and parts of Rockingham County. HRS owns and maintains a full fleet complete with ambulances, response vehicles, a Heavy Rescue Vehicle, and a Mass Casualty Incident Response Unit. They offer new member training, EVOC certification, and many other EMS courses. R40 has over 120 active volunteer members and responds to over 7000 calls-for-service per year. The volunteers take pride in the ability to provide extensive life-saving services to the local community.
There are many ways to show your support for the community and Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. Browse through the membership pages and find out how you can become an asset to the team, click the donate banner and show your monetary support, or contact us and share your kind words and comments. We continue to rely heavily on backing from the community and are extremely appreciative of any support we receive.
Tammy Blizzard
Rescue 40 is extremely sad to announce the passing of long time member Tammy Blizzard. Tammy joined joined the HRS family in 1984 and has been an invaluable asset to us and to all of the lives that she has touched over the years. Her family will receive friends and family at Johnson Funeral Home this Sunday between 6pm and 7pm. A funeral service will be conducted 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 25, 2013 at Johnson Funeral Service Chapel in Bridgewater, with Pastor Darren Howdeyshell officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery in Mt. Sidney. Harrisonburg Rescue Squad would also like to invite all friends and family to our station for a reception and celebration of Tammy's life after the service. Thank you, Brandon Peavy, Chief
Community Outreach
Over the summer local day cares have visited the station to learn about safety and everything that happens at the rescue squad. On August 7, we will be at the National Night Out event in Harrisonburg showing off an ambulance and our squad truck and teaching families about EMS.
Special Operations
The technical rescue capablities at Harrisonburg Rescue Squad continue to expand. Special Operations members have been busy maintaining our squad truck and MCI trailer, attending continuing education courses all over the country, and responding to calls to provide assistance to other local agencies.