Resources for Virginia Localities and EMS Officials
The Virginia Department of Health has added a web page that is designed to give city, town and county government officials more resources to help them manage and enhance their local EMS systems. Take a look!

Henry County-Martinsville Rescue Squad Association Creates a Panel
The Henry County-Martinsville Rescue Squad Association is creating a subcommittee that aims to unify the squads and help them improve service to county residents. The decision, outlined in a letter written to the county’s board of supervisors by association President Marcus Stone, is the latest in a series of proposals on ways to improve rescue services in Henry County. It will be discussed by the board during its 3 p.m. meeting Tuesday at the Henry County Administration Building. In his letter, Stone said the association, a networking body made up of members of the county’s volunteer rescue squads, unanimously approved the idea. The committee wil

Bedford County rescue squad ambulances back in service
Two local rescue squad ambulances are back in service after problems with expired medication and equipment are corrected. The Virginia Office of EMS says the Hardy Rescue Squad is now allowed to operate at the advanced life support level. One ambulance was returned to service two days after a surprise inspection, the second the following week. The squad ran basic life support calls while the problems were fixed.  More serious calls were picked up by other squads.

Future of EMS is debated
There is no consensus among five of the six Henry County supervisors on how emergency medical services should be overseen in the county. The goal of numerous county officials, EMS agencies and a task force is to have more uniformity in operations and delivery of services by the five volunteer, nonprofit rescue squads and one for-profit ambulance service operating in the county. Read More…

Rescue squad plans to fight dissolution
The Strasburg Volunteer Rescue Squad plans to fight its dissolution by the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisors. With a 6-0 vote Tuesday morning, the supervisors ended the squad’s 45-year existence, at least in the board’s eyes. Lagging and failed response times have led to the Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue providing 24-hour coverage in Strasburg since summer 2007. Read More…