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 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.

Yearly, Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad answers over 1,000 calls for medical emergencies and assistance. Typical calls that we answer include motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, and trauma calls. We are able to handle this call volume thanks to our dedicated volunteer members.

We have more than thirty-five (35) active emergency medical technicians (EMT), Enhanced, Intermediate and Paramedics. Our EMTs are required to be certified by State of Virginia, and some EMTs are Nationally Registered. These members have volunteered to help others and volunteer countless hours of their time to maintain required certifications.