Rescue squad celebrates 40 years

Submitted article
Published: May 15, 2008

The Roseland Rescue Squad will be celebrating its 40th anniversary Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the crew hall on Virginia 151 in Roseland.

The squad was formed by concerned citizens in 1968. The volunteers received Red Cross training over the next month and the first rescue duty day was on June 20, 1968.

At that time, there were no handheld radios. Calls would come into the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, and the crew on duty would be called by phone to respond. 

The squad has always been a volunteer organization that depends on donations to continue serving the community.

There was no ambulance in the beginning; instead, a hearse from Preston Parr’s funeral home was used to transport people to the hospital.

In October 1968, Roseland received a boat. It was cleaned, painted, and ready for use. The squad has continued to maintain the boat, with a trained crew, ever since.

The current building and land was purchased from John Harvey at a cost of $15,000 and involved many hours of fund raising by squad members and the ladys’ auxiliary.

Rose Union Church and Parr’s Funeral Home were used for meetings until the building and land were obtained.

In July 1969, a new GMC vehicle was purchased and equipped as the squad’s ambulance.

This vehicle would be used sooner than expected when Hurricane Camille ravaged the county that year. The squad captain at the time, Bobby Napier, and members of Roseland Rescue Squad worked the tragedy and the training they had received was vital.

The events before and during the months following Camille set the groundwork for the ongoing training and dedication of the squad members.

In June 1971, the squad began to offer specialized training offered to those younger than 18 interested in becoming volunteers.

Many of these young people had lived through Camille’s destruction. They became an important part of Roseland Rescue then and many continue as lifetime members.

Massie Tunstall joined at age 14 and by age 16 he had delivered his first baby in the back of the unit. Today he still serves as an officer.

The junior members raised money and were responsible for the addition of the kitchen exit and platform currently used for grilling as well as many other projects over the years.

Junior members continue to participate in the daily duties of the squad. They are offered training and may ride along and assist after the age of 16. Many go on to receive EMT certification.

In 1971, George Beard was elected chaplain and now serves as life member, chaplain and president of the corporation.

Over the past 40 years, Roseland Rescue has purchased many new units, new boats, paved the parking lot, added the sign still displayed in the front of the parking lot and purchased “Rescue Annie” as a training tool.

The building went through renovations and new uniforms were purchased. The Ladies’ Auxiliary and the junior members continued to raise much of the needed funds.

Rescue personnel must attend monthly training meetings and achieve hours of certification to retain their status as EMT or above. Members not only donate their time to answer calls but also must be willing to donate their time to stay current on all mandated training.

Only a few volunteers from 1968 are still alive today. They include Junior Thompson, George Beard and Bobby Napier.

Thompson serves on the board of governors for the state rescue organization. Beard currently serves as president of the executive committee for Roseland Rescue. Napier serves as the vice president of the executive committee. Mike McCarthy serves as secretary/ treasurer.

Lecie Barnett and Hazel Hight (who passed away May 5) served as part of the Ladies Auxiliary for many years. The auxiliary was disbanded in 2007 and Barnett and Hight joined the ranks of lifetime members of the squad.

The squad currently has 13 lifetime members who have served the squad for 15 years or more.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the squad will honor its lifetime members for their dedication and commitment to the community and to Roseland Rescue.

The squad holds EMT classes, open to all agencies and individuals, each spring and fall. Each EMT class averages two classroom sessions a week and a few required weekend classes, over a three-month period, and arranges for testing for state certification at the end of each class.

Roseland Rescue Squad also provides CPR and first aid classes to organizations within the community.