The Pownal First Aid and Rescue Squadron was begun in 1959 through the Pownal Center Fire Department. A handful of volunteer firemen were determined to make a difference for those in need of emergency treatment in the town of Pownal. After acquiring a use Buick wagon, a year’s worth of organizational meetings and first-aid training, the squad was ready to handle emergencies in October 1960.

          The concept of emergency medical services was something new. It was focused on basic first-aid skills, especially bandaging, splinting, use of oxygen and resuscitation. The training files and slides presentations were graphic and realistic.

          It was service that demanded intense commitment. In the 1960’s the calls came in by telephone; for those on-call it meant being within earshot of the phone. Rapid response and a quick transfer to a nearby hospital was often the key to the patient’s survival.

          The equipment stocked in the early ambulance included various splints, poison kits, obstetric kits, body type first-aid kits, headlights and lanterns. Larger pieces included a Reeves stretcher, fracture board and a navy-style stretcher. There was an Emerson dual-head resuscitator with 50 feet extension, oxygen tank and masks. For rescue work the squad carried portable power tools, skin-diving equipment, two Scott air-pacs and extra tanks, and pole-climbers. The squad also provided the sheets and blankets used for the cots.

          During the 1960’s the Rescue Squadron continued to train new members, upgrade equipment, and to develop skills at courses though the Vermont State Firefighter Assn. The ambulance and equipment were often on display locally and at fire school as far away as Middlebury. When Bennington Rescue members began organizing in 1963 it was Pownal that they turned to for guidance and help.

          By the late 1960’s the squad had obtained and equipped a second ambulance. In 1968 a two-way radio was donated by Putnam Memorial Hospital. This was a major advance as now the ambulance could communicate with the hospital and other rescue units. Dispatching was still based on the telephone system and would be until the late 1970’s.

          In the early 1970’s the squad acquired a third ambulance. Both of the two primary vehicles carried two-way radios. New records were set for numbers of calls, Miles traveled and time devoted. Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation became an accepted technique. Squad members achieved Training and certification as Emergency Medical Technicians though a 70-hr course.

          In the mid to late 1970’s there were major changes, which marked the beginning of the present squad. The increasing call volume contributed to a change in the Pownal Center Fire Department by-laws to allow for membership in the Rescue Squad alone. The membership base was authorized to expand to 50. A crash truck, carrying specialized equipment, responded with the ambulance to aid in the rescue of accident and fire victims.

          The squad purchased sophisticated training equipment including a recording resuscitation training “Annie” and a Harrigan cardiac resuscitator. CPR instructor-squad members made their skills available for the general public as well. The First-Aid course requires for basic membership was 54-hrs. The EMT Course was 84-hrs long with a 30-hr refresher course.

          January 1977 saw the formation of five 3-man team to cover Monday though Friday. Each team covered a weekend in rotation. On July 4,1979 a new radio paging system began, based at the hospital. Crew members carried pagers when on-call; crew leaders had two-way radios as well. The new emergency phone number 447-7911, replaced the “red phone” service.

          The next major advance was: The Jaws Of Life.” Fund raising began in June 1979 for this specialized heavy-duty extrication equipment. With the generous support from all levels of the community the “Lukas Rescue System” was in use by March 1980, speeding the rescue and treatment of accident victims.

          With the steady increase in specialized training required, state certifications and demands of providing 24-hr service the rescue squad had gradually developed as a separate community service. In 1981 the Pownal rescue and first aid squadron was legally incorporated as the Pownal Rescue Squad, Inc.

          There have been significant advances and changes since then. Emergency Care Attendant and EMT certifications now require even more time. Several levels of EMT training are available. More training equipment and CPR instruction is available. Our three ambulances carry an increasingly complicated assortment of supplies and equipment.

          The basic principle of service in Pownal has not changes. We were formed to provide quality ambulance and emergency service to the community of Pownal. The original policy of “on-charge” for services has continued. This would not have been possible without the generous donations of time, services and financial support of many people, not just members. A tradition base in concern for those in need continues.