| GRANVILLE RESCUE SQUAD |
| H I S T O R Y |
With the help of the Penrhyn Hose Company, Granville Rescue Squad, Inc. was founded in
1967, as a demand for emergency medical transport emerged across the country. The
charter members used an early ambulance, housed in a members garage, to transport
trauma victims to the local Granville hospital. Before long, call volumes had surpassed 500
per year and demands were evident for emergency medicine in the rural village and
surrounding towns. Throughout the 1970s call volumes increased to over 1000 per year.
The ambulances were now housed in a building on Potter Avenue. By 1984, it was realized
that a new station was needed to house the three ambulances, and in 1985 a new building
was erected at the current site on Potter Avenue. This building could house 4 ambulances,
and had all the amenities of home including a kitchen, bedroom, and living quarters. The
4th ambulance bay was eventually turned into a meeting/training room and office to meet the
demands for all the training that was needed to provide adequate care. Eventually, the fiscal
reality of rural hospitals caught up to Granville, and hospitals closed, eventually turning into
adult care facilities. This stretched the demands for GRS, in that hospitals could now only
be found in Glens Falls, NY, Rutland, VT, Cambridge, NY, and Bennington, VT. Additionally,
the residents in these adult care facilities now needed frequent transport to these
hospitals. Throughout the 1990s call volumes increased and volunteers became harder to
find. Late in the 1990s members concluded that GRS needed monetary assistance.
Insurance billing was an easy income supplement to the income of the squad. With the
assistance from insurance billing GRS was able to increase it's equipment capabilities. In
1998 with the delivery of a new ambulance, GRS increased the fleet to 4 ambulances. With
more volunteers working daily, GRS was forced to begin a daytime paid staff in 2001 to
ensure coverage and fast response times. Also this year, GRS built an addition in order to
house all 4 ambulances in the Granville station. GRS worked throughout the first decade of
the Twenty-First Century, improving equipment, adding a snowmobile, ATV, and trailers, as
well as an MCI Trailer. The agency increased numbers of ALS Certified individuals, and
hosted several state classes to ensure proper training. Paid staffing coverage hours
increased and included overnights to supplement volunteer coverage. In 2010 a 5th
ambulance was purchased as well as a bariatric stretcher. With this purchase, the
necessity of additional storage presented itself. After purchasing the adjoining property and
house to the east, a three bay storage building was erected to house an ambulance, the MCI
Trailer, and the Off -Road Equipment. 2012 brought the purchase of our first 4x4 ambulance
and talks of station expansion. The existing house to our east was removed and ground
was broken in 2013 for a truck bay and storage expansion project. After completion of this
expansion,re-purposing of the existing truck bays to living quarters, and living quarters to
office space was completed. Throughout the projects countless hours were contributed by
our volunteers to make the facilities project a success. We try to look to the future of rural
EMS and stay ahead of the curve in new treatments and equipment to provide the best care
to our local residents.
1967, as a demand for emergency medical transport emerged across the country. The
charter members used an early ambulance, housed in a members garage, to transport
trauma victims to the local Granville hospital. Before long, call volumes had surpassed 500
per year and demands were evident for emergency medicine in the rural village and
surrounding towns. Throughout the 1970s call volumes increased to over 1000 per year.
The ambulances were now housed in a building on Potter Avenue. By 1984, it was realized
that a new station was needed to house the three ambulances, and in 1985 a new building
was erected at the current site on Potter Avenue. This building could house 4 ambulances,
and had all the amenities of home including a kitchen, bedroom, and living quarters. The
4th ambulance bay was eventually turned into a meeting/training room and office to meet the
demands for all the training that was needed to provide adequate care. Eventually, the fiscal
reality of rural hospitals caught up to Granville, and hospitals closed, eventually turning into
adult care facilities. This stretched the demands for GRS, in that hospitals could now only
be found in Glens Falls, NY, Rutland, VT, Cambridge, NY, and Bennington, VT. Additionally,
the residents in these adult care facilities now needed frequent transport to these
hospitals. Throughout the 1990s call volumes increased and volunteers became harder to
find. Late in the 1990s members concluded that GRS needed monetary assistance.
Insurance billing was an easy income supplement to the income of the squad. With the
assistance from insurance billing GRS was able to increase it's equipment capabilities. In
1998 with the delivery of a new ambulance, GRS increased the fleet to 4 ambulances. With
more volunteers working daily, GRS was forced to begin a daytime paid staff in 2001 to
ensure coverage and fast response times. Also this year, GRS built an addition in order to
house all 4 ambulances in the Granville station. GRS worked throughout the first decade of
the Twenty-First Century, improving equipment, adding a snowmobile, ATV, and trailers, as
well as an MCI Trailer. The agency increased numbers of ALS Certified individuals, and
hosted several state classes to ensure proper training. Paid staffing coverage hours
increased and included overnights to supplement volunteer coverage. In 2010 a 5th
ambulance was purchased as well as a bariatric stretcher. With this purchase, the
necessity of additional storage presented itself. After purchasing the adjoining property and
house to the east, a three bay storage building was erected to house an ambulance, the MCI
Trailer, and the Off -Road Equipment. 2012 brought the purchase of our first 4x4 ambulance
and talks of station expansion. The existing house to our east was removed and ground
was broken in 2013 for a truck bay and storage expansion project. After completion of this
expansion,re-purposing of the existing truck bays to living quarters, and living quarters to
office space was completed. Throughout the projects countless hours were contributed by
our volunteers to make the facilities project a success. We try to look to the future of rural
EMS and stay ahead of the curve in new treatments and equipment to provide the best care
to our local residents.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |