Middlesex Co. Rescue Squad Facing Multiple Challenges

by Larry Chowning –  

The Middlesex County Volunteer Rescue Squad (MCVRS) was formed in Deltaville in fall 1958 in the garage of Mrs. William F. Marchant. Prior to that, and until 1969, local funeral homes provided ambulance service in the county. In 1958, the need for extended emergency coverage for the lower part of Middlesex County was needed and volunteers organized the county’s first rescue squad in Deltaville.

Under the auspices of the MCVRS, the Urbanna Branch was formed in 1968, when donations throughout the county allowed the purchase of a new rescue squad vehicle for that area. The Urbanna branch was formed due in part to new state laws that prevented funeral homes from providing ambulance service.

The Urbanna and Deltaville branches split in November 1969, to form the MCVRS in Deltaville and the Central Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad (CMVRS) in Urbanna.

Effects of COVID-19

The challenge of maintaining a volunteer rescue squad is tied to having enough volunteers and funding to operate. COVID-19 has only made it more difficult.

MCVRS Treasurer Leslie Krom said, “COVID has decimated our main source of fundraising. Our (MCVRS) Ladies Auxiliary has been unable to hold bingo since last March. It is one of the organizations largest moneymakers.

“We have also lost volunteers due to COVID as those who are older or have underlying health conditions stopped answering calls,” said Krom. “Fewer volunteers have meant it costs more for us to operate as we have had to go to using more paid staff. We are beginning to see some of our volunteers coming back.”

Funding

Middlesex County donates $144,000 each year to the MCVRS, which mostly comes from meals tax revenues and expends another $500,000 annually for “purchased services” to fund operations of the MCVRS-Urbanna branch. Middlesex County supervisors have increased that amount to $517,520 in the proposed fiscal year 2021-2022 budget.

New Ambulance

The overall cost of MCVRS doing business is reflected in the recent purchase of a new rescue squad truck, a Ford 550 Turbo Diesel powered ambulance that squad members have affectionately named Rufus. The squad names all of their vehicles. Rufus cost $267,714 for the vehicle and another approximately $150,000 in equipment. Some of the equipment was financed with grants.

Need volunteers

MCVRS currently has 46 active volunteers on roster with 36 making runs. “We are looking for volunteers to make runs from all the stations,” said Krom. “We recently have had two couples volunteer from the Urbanna area and they are going through orientation. They plan to run from the Urbanna station.

“We desperately need more volunteers to serve the county,” she said. “Middlesex County is a busy county and the rescue squad is a vital part of our county’s quality of life…