Rescue Inc

1966

Founded in 1966 by a small group of dedicated volunteer EMT's in Brattleboro, Vermont, Rescue Inc has evolved into a leader in the field of rural emergency medicine. Rescue was among the first EMS agencies in the nation to offer paramedic level care and now services 12 towns in southern Vermont and 2 in southern New Hampshire. Prior to Rescue Inc, funeral homes and fire departments ran ambulance services. Following a federal study in the 1960s, emergency medical services were developed to help save lives due to highway crashes. Rescue was initially built on ski patrol experience and was an all-volunteer group until the 1970s, when the agency developed full transport services.

 

1970s

EMT courses were offered in the 1970s with Rescue being among the first agencies in the state to offer this training.

 

In the mid-1970s Rescue Inc hired its first paid staff members, primarily to cover day shifts. With an increasing need for emergency medical services, Rescue initially established its headquarters on High Street in Brattleboro, Vermont.

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1975

Rescue became incorporated federally as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization under the U.S. Tax Code. 

 

1978

With EMS need and its membership growing, the agency moved operations to its first Canal Street location, and then built the current headquarters in 1978.

 

1980s

Paramedic training was offered through Rescue Inc and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital between 1980 and 1987.

 

Rescue expanded its paid shifts in the 1980s to include nights and weekends.

 

1982

Rescue Inc became an official Vermont paramedic unit, funded by federal money plus seed money donations.
 

1990s

The 1990s brought many agency "firsts." Rescue had the first semi-automatic defibrillator unit in Vermont.

 

Community outreach was established with CPR, First Aid, and other classes offered by our training center.

 

Negotiated rates for services from insurance companies and the federal government began in the 1990s.

 

1994

Our Subscription Membership service started in '94 and continues strong today. 

 

1995

In '95 we reported 2,000 call responses for the year. With the increasing call volume, the agency grew from three ambulances to four in Brattleboro.
 

2005

The next decade saw de-escalating reimbursements from the government and insurance companies. In '05, Grace Cottage Hospital (GCH) in Townshend, Vermont ended their ambulance service and Rescue took over that territory, creating the agency's Division II. We would continue to use the established space at GCH to house ambulances and personnel for many years. 

 

A multi-year community outreach grant from the Holt Foundation allowed the agency to develop training for its outlying communities. During that two-year period, Rescue trained more than 2,000 members of the public in basic response knowledge such as CPR and First Aid.

 

2011
Tropical Storm Irene devastated Windham County in Vermont, leaving several parts of our service area impassable or under water. Our Technical Rescue Team deployed and conducted several rescues and made a huge impact in the area following the storm. 

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2017

Construction was completed on a new Division 2 station in West Townshend, VT. As we continued to grow, a space of our own was necessary to best serve the West River Valley area. 

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Rescue acquired the local KER Westerlund Ambulance Service, which provided local non-emergency inter-facility transfer service to local nursing homes and to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. We gained two additional ambulances and the additional call volume for transfer services. 

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2021

The COVID-19 Pandemic left Vermont at much of a stand still, leaving Rescue in a position to mobilize and truly make a difference in the way of public health. Rescue became a State of Vermont Department of Health asset in vaccinating Vermonters via at home doses as well as mobile vaccine clinics, traveling thousands of miles and vaccinating many in need. ​

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2023

Rescue established the Vermont EMS Academy (VEMSA) as a measure to improve the region's access to pre-hospital and healthcare related training, the first of it's kind academy in Vermont. 

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Catastrophic flooding occurred across most of Vermont in July of '23. This prompted a full mobilization of our swift water rescue teams, who conducted multiple high-risk rescues, ultimately saving many lives. 

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Our crews responded to over 6,200 calls for service in 2023. 

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Currently, Rescue's staff of active EMS providers has grown to more than 50 paid staff and volunteers. In 2012, six staff members were honored for their long-term commitment to the organization with more than 120 years of combined service at Rescue Inc.  We currently provide emergency medical services to 14 area towns and our territory covers more than 450 square miles. Rescue Inc also provides local and long distance emergency and non-emergency transfers along with community CPR and First Aid classes and EMT courses through the Vermont EMS Academy. The agency looks forward to many more years of providing emergency medical services to Southern Vermont and Southern New Hampshire.