Rescue Squad: A History of Volunteer Ambulance Service

RESCUE SQUAD is a short, 7,000-word essay that details the birth and development of volunteer ambulance services in the United States. It begins with the earliest squad, formed in 1928 by Julian S. Wise, a pioneer in the field. It traces the haphazard nature of ambulance service, particularly in rural areas, which persisted through the 1960s. That era saw the beginning of emergency medical systems, the advent of emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and many other improvements. Volunteers p...