About us

“Culpeper’s Volunteers”

OUR HISTORY

Our original members were: William H. Carper-Capt., H. H. Allen, James Apel, Russell Browning, William Button-2nd. Lieut., George Bead, J. B. Carpenter Jr.-1st. Lieut., Truman Colvin, L. B. Dulin Jr., R. A. Forbes, Jack Griffin, E. Murphy Hoffman, William Johnson, Hal Jones, Letcher Longenbeam, H. L. Richard-Sect/Treas., J.W. Ross, Carroll Seale, William R. Stradley, Kermit Wagner.  …

In 1942, a caring, kind, and compassionate man, who also must have been part visionary, saw a need in the community and county of Culpeper. Undoubtedly, he must have had friends or even family members that became injured who could have benefited from receiving first aid of some sort. Instead of just wishing that there was an organization that could provide that kind of assistance, he did something about it. He became a volunteer, and there wasn’t even an organization to join! He and 20 other concerned citizens did the American thing. They saw a need in their community, they organized, they planned, and they executed. Within a very short time, Culpeper County Volunteer Rescue Squad became one of the community’s most useful and called upon services. By the way, the man to whom we all owe a great deal of appreciation was William H. Carper, the Town Manager.

 Mr. Carper was elected as Captain and was joined in the officer ranks by: J. B. Carpenter Jr., First Lieutenant (Personnel Officer); William R. Button, Second Lieutenant (Maintains trucks and equipment); H. L. Richards, Secretary-Treasurer and R. A. Forbes Publicity Director. The squad at that time had three medical advisors (today, we have one medical director): Dr. J. R. Boldridge, Dr. Granville Eastham, and Dr. D. W. Kelly Jr. It also had one legal advisor, attorney Robert Y. Button.

 The first order of business was to acquire equipment. Then, like today, our forefathers relied on the generosity of different elements of the community. Businesses as well as individuals donated equipment such as an H & H Inhalator which was loaned to them by the Culpeper Fire Company. (They were initially given the equipment by a local farmer, Admiral L. L. Strauss, following of an accident which took place on his farm.) The Southern Oxygen Co. donated an oxygen tent, and a stretcher, blankets, splints, bandages, along with other supplies were obtained from the Culpeper Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The next order of business would be to obtain or provide training for the members. All members were required to attend Red Cross First Aid training and were required to participate in refresher courses at regular intervals. They were furnished with their own First Aid Kit.

 Since they didn’t have enhanced 911 in 1942, the squad, which housed its equipment in the Civil Defense Office, located in Pitt’s Theatre Building, relied on the same signal as did the Fire Company. That was a series of blasts on a steam whistle located atop the Municipal Building that used steam from the Culpeper Light and Ice Company. This would be a good place to note that from the very beginnings of the Rescue Squad, the Culpeper Fire Company has been helpful by sharing their leadership, experience, resources, the fire fighters themselves. Many of whom over the years have been members of the Rescue Squad as well as being firefighters.

 Now that they had some equipment, training and a signal, these pioneers needed a way to get the gear and themselves to the scene and the patient to a hospital. Again, they went to work. The membership held an extensive scrap metal drive and, in October of 1943, earned enough money to purchase, recondition, and equip a second hand 1937 Suburban Truck.

 That 1937 Suburban served the squad well until 1948, when, in December of that year, the word went out to the community that a newer, heavier duty type of vehicle was needed. The people, the businesses of Culpeper and the surrounding communities responded once again, and within a month’s time, sufficient donations were received in order to purchase a new, 1948, Chevrolet, one ton panel truck outfitted with equipment. That scenario of having a need and seeing the community respond with overwhelming support has been repeated over and over since then.

 In 1953, what has become a Culpeper tradition, the Fire & Rescue Festival was held for the first time. The result: a new, equipped station wagon. Proceeds from the festival are divided between the two organizations and used to buy new equipment. Local businesses have always been important allies in keeping the squad funded and equipped. From 1957 until 1961 the Culpeper Motor Company and Clore Pontiac Company, annually provided new station wagons in trade for old ones, ensuring that the squad had the most up to date equipment.

 With both the Rescue Squad and the Fire Company obtaining newer, larger, more advance equipment, space was soon at a premium. For years, they shared space in the Municipal Building on West Davis Street. An appeal was made to the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors, and in 1959, the county purchased the Methodist Church property, also on West Davis Street, across from the courthouse. The Church Educational Building was converted into the County Office Building while the Sanctuary and lot were deeded to the Fire Company and Rescue Squad. The following year, the Board of Supervisors agreed to underwrite the cost of a new building. Plans, drawn up many years in advance of the funding, were submitted to Eubank and Caldwell of Roanoke. In short order, the blue-prints and specifications were approved. The building was constructed by the E. E. Harwell Company of Orange, Virginia in less than a year at a cost of about $150,000.00. The building was dedicated on May 25, 1961.

 The Fire Company and Rescue Squad continued to occupy the same building for about the next 20 years. In 1977, the property owned by the Nehi Bottling Company on North Main Street was purchased. In 1986, the present home of Culpeper County Volunteer Rescued Squad was built. By this time, fiscal policies had changed and the cost of constructing a new facility was borne completely by the rescue squad. Today, your tax money, via the county government is used to reimburse rescue squads for their operating expenses such as fuel and utility bills. The purchase of new equipment, training, expansion of facilities, etc. is all accomplished using funds that are donated, raised by the squads and their auxiliaries or received from various government grants.

 Since that time, many dedicated people have answered the call to help their community by volunteering precious time and energy to become members. There have been numerous ambulances purchased, equipped, used and replaced. Training requirements, put in place by the State Office of EMS, have changed as the expectations for better and more advanced pre-hospital care have increased.  New programs have been added such as a trained Water Rescue unit and there has been a Juniors program. The Juniors program allows young people who would like to learn about Emergency Medical Services participate and contribute in various ways until they are old enough to be certified as EMT’s or drivers. Membership has ebbed and flowed in numbers just as any volunteer organization tends to, including other nearby Rescue Squads. Fortunately, there are always a few, dedicated individuals who hang in there and keep the ambulances rolling.

 One thing that has not changed and never will is the NEED! Culpeper is growing. More and more people are moving into the area and expecting around the clock pre-hospital care. 911 is here which makes it very easy (a good thing) and very convenient (sometimes, not such a good thing) for the public to request our services. Back in 1948, the Fire & Rescue Companies responded to: 70 emergency calls, 45 fire alarms were answered, 193 individual First Aid cases were treated and 930 miles were traveled. In 2003,  

You are cordially invited to come by and visit the squad. Talk to members, ask questions, and see the equipment close up. We even have a “Ride-Along” program in place which allows for people to spend an evening riding with the duty crew, lending a hand, and getting an up close and personal taste of Emergency Medical Services. Just call or e-mail your request ahead of time.

Thank you for visiting our Website. We hope that many of you will not just read our history, but will be inspired to become part OF our history. Come, help us help you. Join us in “providing volunteer service since 1942”

We wish to thank and acknowledge J. B Carpenter Jr., one of the charter members, for having previously written a history of CCVRS on the occasion of the dedication of the Fire and Rescue building on May 25, 1961. The majority of the information was gleaned from his account.