"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
Mahatma Gandhi

What does the application process entail?
Each member is required to fill out a membership application, which gives us your basic information.  Your application will be read at the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting, which are held the 1st Wednesday of each month.  A member of the Membership Committee will meet with you following that meeting, and will give you a membership packet, which must be completed prior to being voted-in, usually at the following month's meeting. 

All members are required to pass a county-approved physical, and to acquire a criminal record and driving record check.  All of these are paid for by the HVRS.  Upon successful completion of these tasks, you will be voted-on at the next monthly meeting. 

Individuals being accepted into membership will immediately begin their probationary period, and start their basic in-station training shortly thereafter.

I've never volunteered before -- rescue or otherwise.
Every one of our members said the same thing at one point in their careers.  But there is no better place to start your volunteer career than with a Rescue Squad.  After joining the HVRS, our members will help you thru every step of the process, starting with CPR and in-station training, and then into more specialized training.

What does the training involve?
Each person makes ultimately decides how far they want to go with their training.  Some of our members are drivers & 1st responders (basic first aid) only, others are EMTs, and others go on to practice Advanced Life Support (ALS) care. 

To start, each member is given an in-station overview of the department, the EMS system, the member's role, as well as basic training on the units we operate and the equipment we use.  All members are also certified in CPR (infant, child, and adult).

Following basic in-station training, members continue to other classes offered by the Loudoun County Department of Fire-Rescue Services at their Training Center, including EMT-B, EVOC (emergency vehicle driver's certification), and Hazardous Materials Operations classes.  Throughout your volunteer career, you will have countless opportunities to further your knowledge.  The sky is the limit, and is solely up to the member.

How long does the training take?
This all depends on which class or classes you decide to take.  Classes range from a few days to a few months.  Classes such as EMT usually run approximately 3-4 months.  During that time, members are taught what they need to know to operate efficiently and confidently in the field of EMS.  Classes are conveniently offered in the evenings and weekends, to help accommodate the schedules of volunteers as a whole.

But considering how technology and practices change, we constantly update and reinforce skills with monthly in-station training.  Also, members who have recently completed a class will be assigned a mentor that will help them apply their classroom knowledge to the field. 

How much time do I have to give after joining?
Members are asked to run at least one shift per week, either day shift or night shift.  However, we are very flexible with scheduling, and will work with your schedule.  Members who are taking county training (for example, EMT-B), are exempted from running duty shifts so they may concentrate on their training (however, a lot of members decide to run while in their training, so they can apply what they're learning in class).

Am I cut out to do this?
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is certainly not for everyone.  But if you've read this far, chances are you're ready. 

What's the best type of person for this?
Simple answer:  You.

If you have the time and the desire, we'll give you the challenge of a lifetime.  Nothing is better than the feeling you get from helping another person, especially when they are in a time of incredible need. 

People dial 9-1-1 for one reason:  They need immediate help.  We are there to provide it, and those who call 9-1-1 appreciate your efforts.

If you're ready to answer the call, give membership a shot.  Apply online by clicking HERE and filling out our online interest form.  A member of the HVRS' Membership Committee will be with you shortly.

Of course, if you have any questions about membership, please give us a call at (540) 338-3111 or e-mail us at Info@HamiltonRescue.org.

You CAN make a difference.