Jeb Stuart Volunteer Rescue Squad is set to restart paid time staff on a part-time basis on Monday, October 7.
Captain Derek Wagner said the paid staff will run 10-hour shifts, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.
He estimates there will be three or four part-time staff. Wagner will remain a volunteer with the rescue squad.
We’re going to have “just one paid from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., then we’re going to partner a volunteer with that paid person because it takes two people to run a call,” he said. At night, “we’ll just volunteer as we can. From 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning volunteers will run (call) from home.”
To fund the paid staff, Wagner said the squad sold some assets, including an ambulance and a cardiac monitor.
“We are downsizing a little bit and liquidated some assets. We sold one truck, that was our truck that was over nine years old that had over 150,000 miles on it. It was starting to present itself with a lot of mechanical issues,” he said.
The cardiac monitor was sold locally.
Wagner said the squad is excited to start its paid staff back up, even though it’s part time.
“It was nice to be able to get a lot of bills paid off, get everybody caught up. Now, we’re ready to get back to work and help cover calls and do what we do best,” he said.
During the months when the rescue squad had no paid staff, its volunteers ran about 30-40 calls. Like any volunteer squad, Wagner said volunteers tried to run calls when they could.
“It’s not like we weren’t trying to run calls during our financial crisis, it’s just that we have about five volunteers and all of them work a full-time job, if not two of three” jobs, “and a lot of the volunteers actually work outside of the county,” he said.
Wagner said the squad also plans to hold a community breakfast at the squad building on Saturday, October 5 from 7:30-10 a.m.
“We’ve just taken the last few months off due to summer vacations and all that. We’re just trying to get on back again with our monthly community breakfasts as a fundraiser,” he said, adding the events also allow people to just get together and talk over breakfast foods.
Plates will be $8 each and dine in, carryout, and curb service options are available. Orders can be placed by calling (276) 694-6171.
