CONCORD RESCUE SQUAD

THE BEGINNING

 JULY 1, 1971

In 1968, a group of concerned citizens including members of the Concord Volunteer Fire Department in Concord, Virginia met to form a rescue squad to serve the Concord community and surrounding area. Solicitation of funds resulted in approximately $5,500.00 raised. After several months it was decided that the fire department and the rescue squad should be separate organizations. The money collected was deposited in the bank earmarked for an ambulance when a rescue squad was formed in Concord.

On August 29, 1970, Mrs. Blanch Steele celebrated her birthday by inviting family, friends, and neighbors to an outdoor birthday party at her home in Concord, Virginia. She suffered a fatal heart attack while performing an Hawaiian dance. The Campbell County Rescue Squad, serving the Concord area at this time and approximately 20 to 25 miles away, was summoned. Two people attending the party attempted to revive Mrs. Steele. It took 28 minutes for the squad to arrive in Concord. The response was quick for distance traveled. Mrs. Steele was rushed 15 miles to the emergency room at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Later that night, Ray Carson, Sr. and Reggie Spradlin met in the kitchen in the home of Mrs. Steele. They discussed the time involved for emergency response and the need for a rescue squad in the Concord Community. They contacted people previously involved in organizing a squad in Concord. The first meeting was held in February of 1971 in the basement of the home of Mr. Carson. After numerous meetings in the Concord Volunteer Fire Department building, a local church and homes of the organizers and visiting local squads, the Concord Rescue Squad was organized. Officers and board members were elected. An ambulance was purchased with the $5,500 previously collected and a $2,000 bank noted cosigned by two of the Board members, William Moore and Lowell Thomas. The Concord Rescue Squad was organized July 1, 1971, with 13 Charter Members, 6 Directors, a Medical Advisor, a Legal Advisor and a Registered Agent.

CREW HALL

The Squad started with no building for meetings, training classes or parking of the one ambulance. Meetings and training classes were held in a local church basement, the Concord Volunteer Fire Department Station and homes of Members. The one ambulance was parked outside when not in use. One of the duty members would take the ambulance home and respond to calls by meeting other members en route or at the scene of the emergency.

Later the back room of a local service station was rented for the use of the Squad for meetings, training and parking of the ambulance. Squad Members cleaned the floors of grease and paint from use as a garage and body shop. Cleaning and painting of the walls and ceilings were also done by Squad Members with help from some of the Directors and Women’s Auxiliary. A furnace for the Crew Hall was donated by a Squad Member. It was installed with the help of other Squad Members.

May 1, 1975 work began on a new Crew Hall in Concord on Route 460. The Crew Hall was built next to and on land donated to the Squad by the Concord Volunteer Fire Department. The first meeting was held in the new Crew Hall, bay area, August 7, 1975. The building was completed in October 1975. J

uly 4, 1981, the mortgage for construction of the new building was burned at the annual 4th of July activities at the Concord Ruitan Club.

The Squad Crew Hall was built on property formerly owned by Ella Walker. A large cut nail was salvaged from the ashes of her home. The Nail is mounted on a plaque now hanging in the Crew Hall.

The new Crew Hall was dedicated at an open house ceremony October 5, 1975.

OUR BUILDING GROWS

It didn’t take too many years after the squad was fortunate enough to build its first crew hall in 1975 that it became obvious an expansion would be desirable to accommodate required training for the increased number of members. In addition to the many hours needed to gain certification for the various levels of care (Emergency Medical, Shock Trauma, Cardiac technicians and Paramedic), monthly training sessions are a part of the squad’s working rules. Thus in January 1995 feasibility study was approved and a committee was appointed, headed by Ken Walsh and composed of Wayne Adie, Jay Creasy, Larry Leonard, and Charlotte Selz. By February, specifications and pricing were secured and a site plan approved.

The $65,000 project proceeded through building permit, zoning, and tie-ins with the original building heating and air-conditioning. Included in the new 26’ x 55’ Varco Pruden pre-engineered building was a larger training/meeting room and space for equipment, storage and handicap facilities. A contract was signed with W.A. Stratton Constructions and the foundation finished and plumbing roughed-in by September. The building was finished in December and a year after the concept was more than idea, the squad met in the new facility. Ken Walsh, was especially commended for his outstanding efforts and time devoted to the planning and development of this building expansion.

It is a tribute to the community that such a facility is now available to provide emergency care, and the squad thanks all who were involved in making it possible.