The Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad began operating on July 1, 1968, with one (1) ambulance and
another one on order and six (6) qualified members who had received the necessary training from the
American Red Cross. There were seventy-eight (78) applications also on hand on July 18th and
thirty-two (32) people in tthirty-two (32) people in training.

All of the past and current residents of Mathews County owe this dedicated group of people a
heart-felt thank-you for creating the way for our modern day squad. We have since grown to four (4)
state-of-the-art Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances, a county-wide E-911 system, advanced
cardiac monitoring and many other life-saving devices.

The type of emergency medical service that we provide includes both basic life support (BLS) and
advanced life support (ALS). BLS providers are the foundation of the squad, providing initial assessment
and treatment of both minor and major injuries and illnesses, providing CPR, immobilization of fractures,
control of bleeding and medication administration to treat breathing difficulty, diabetic emergencies and
chest pain. ALS providers build upon the BLS treatments, providing intravenous access, cardiac monitoring
and medication administration. EVOCs are the transportation arm of the squad, having been educated in
defensive driving skills and in assistance with direct patient care.