1941 saw the first official ambulance service to the area which was provided by the Irwin Volunteer Fire Department, present day their department still operates and maintains two ambulances.

Origins of Rescue 8

In the summer of 1959 the funeral directors notified local officials that they would discontinue providing ambulance service on January 1, 1960. The fall of 1959 saw the origins of North Huntingdon Rescue 8. Rescue 8 was molded out of North Huntingdon Township's seven fire companies, it was assigned the company number 8 by the township fire and relief association, it consisted of 50 original members all of whom were fireman. The first officers were, Mike Balko - President, Howard Weber - Vice President, Guy L. Abbot - Secretary-Treasurer, Howard Brant - Captain, Steve Perichak - 1st Lieutenant, Robert Racey - Second Lieutenant, Richard Berger - Sergeant at Arms. Trustees were Ted Colinear, Sante Corona, and Joseph Daniels.

The original members of Rescue 8 had to be fireman because of insurance reasons, when Rescue 8 had enough funds to purchase insurance for ambulance service non-fireman were accepted into Rescue 8.

Community Support of New Rescue Squad

Bob Peterson, from the former Peterson's Drug Store, was an American Red Cross First Aid Instructor and provided a crash course in First Aid. Mr. Snyder, from Snyder's Funeral Home provided instruction on the proper way to handle patients and how to load and unload an ambulance.

Mike Balco loaned the company money from his savings account to make a down payment for a new 1960 Ford Station Wagon. The company had it equipped with red lights, a siren, a radio, a stretcher, and a stretcher bar. A 36 unit first aid kit and an oxygen cylinder was donated to the company by the North Huntingdon Township Police Department.

The North Huntingdon Township Commissioners agreed to house the ambulance and crews in the North Huntingdon Maintenance Building located near Middle School East with the Police Department. The ambulance and duty crew were housed behind the police locker room near police dispatch and were given a table and two wooden chairs to complete any paperwork that was necessary. A second hand radio and a checker game was also donated to the company to keep those on duty entertained. In cold weather the police would allow those on duty to stay in the police locker room or with the dispatcher so long as there was no police business to conduct.

First Uniforms, First Call and First Expansion

The first uniforms consisted of a gray work uniform, black ties, Eisenhower style jackets and a police type cap.

As donations came in the 1960 Ford Station Wagon was paid off and a second 1961 Ford Station Wagon was purchased and equipped. In the first week of January 1960 Rescue 8 answered it's first call, Jack Corcoran and Harry Whitfield were on duty and assisted a 50 year old woman with acute appendicitis and a double hernia.

A nurses unit was formed to assist on calls when female patients were being transported alone. After a few years the nurses unit was disbanded and the nurses were added as full members. Bobby Gilkeson, one of the nurses, was elected to the position of first lieutenant, she was the first female line officer of Rescue 8. The Junior Corps was formed in 1968. Members were teenagers age 14 to 18 years. At age 18 they could become a member of the Senior Corp. Frank Corona, the son of Sam Corona, was the first Junior Corp Chief. Unfortunately the Junior Corp was dissolved in 1997 due to lack of members.

Rescue 8 Receives Award

The Benjamin Rush Award was given to Rescue 8 by the Pennsylvania Medical Society in 1964 after being nominated by the Westmoreland County Medical Society. The Benjamin Rush Award was given in memory of Benjamin Rush, the first Surgeon General of the United States. It is given to organizations contributing the most outstanding health services.

First Aid and EMT Training

Jack Corcoran became an American Red Cross First Aid Instructor in 1962 and taught all members Advanced First Aid and CPR with the aid of the company mannequin, Resusci Annie.

Jack Corcoran and Tom Arendas were selected by the company to attend the pilot course for Emergency Medical Technician at Westmoreland County Community College. After completing 90 hours of instruction and passing written and practical examinations they became Rescue 8's first Emergency Medical Technicians in March of 1974. In the late 1970's Rescue 8 saw it's first Paramedics.

More Expansion and Growth

When the company outgrew the quarters provided for them in the garage, a 4 bay addition was built on the side of the facility. One of the bays was enclosed to use as a ready room. A few years later, a two bay addition was built behind the four bays exiting the side of the building. The two Ford Station Wagons expanded to three Pontiac Ambulances and a light rescue truck that could be used as an ambulance. Rescue 8 moved into it's current location on Center Highway in 1975 and remodeled again in 1997 to accommodate an increase in the demand for service.

With the educational demands that the Pennsylvania Department of Health placed on providers and the ever increasing call volume of Rescue 8, it became difficult for volunteers to commit the time and resources needed to operating a busy ambulance service alone, in 1988 paid EMS employees arrived on the scene at Rescue 8. Due to the enormous costs of operating an ambulance service Third Party Billing or Billing of Medical Insurance began in the mid 1980's.

Rescue 8 Expands Again

In the year 2000, Rescue 8 entered into a management agreement with financially struggling Sewickley Township Community Ambulance Service to assist them with their operations, in May of 2001 Rescue 8 took complete control of finances and operations for Sewickley Township Community Ambulance and became a division of Rescue 8 and a sister station.

Rescue 8 Present

Rescue 8 is a combination volunteer/career (paid) department, with a combined total staff of over 100 volunteers and employees. North Huntingdon Station is manned 24 hours a day seven days a week by Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. North Huntingdon Station maintains five Advanced Life Support Ambulances and one heavy rescue truck. Rescue 8 provides wheel chair and stretcher van service and maintains two wheel chair vans. Rescue 8 is governed by a seven man all volunteer Board of Directors, which includes two North Huntingdon Township Commissioners and three Line Officers with the Administrator, and the Administration Office acting as a direct extension of both which oversees day to day operations of Rescue 8. In addition, the Station Supervisor assist's with day to day operations and incident command.

Services

In addition to providing emergent and non-emergent care and transports. Rescue 8 provides continuing education to EMS providers, and also CPR and First Aid Training to whatever group, organization, business, or individual who may want it or need it. Rescue 8 provides rescue services and maintains some fire suppression capabilities with the heavy rescue truck, however fire suppression is handled by the seven township fire departments, but should the fire suppression capabilities of Rescue 8 be needed they are available. Rescue 8 is also active in the community promoting along with several other community organizations alcohol and drug abuse awareness, as well as safe and responsible driving. Rescue 8 enjoys speaking to several civic organizations with topics ranging from the history and origins of our organization to bio-terrorism.

Field Staff

The field staff of Rescue 8 are some of the most highly trained individuals around. Many, in addition to being Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, are trained or cross trained as vehicle rescue technicians, special and technical rescue technicians, as well as firefighters. Each staff member is required to participate in continuing education and training throughout the year to maintain and enhance their skills. Staff receive their initial Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic raining thorough local community colleges or universities certified through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Additional training comes from many other educational institutions as well as the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
 

Rescue 8 and EMS of the Future

The business of Emergency Medical Services is at a turning point in it's existence, over the past two decades many things have happened and many things need to change. For the most part EMS lacks an identity of it's own, it does not enjoy the support both law enforcement and the fire service receive, nor does it exactly fit in with the medical community as a bona fide health care provider mainly in part because EMS has failed to prove it's worth due to lack of research on it's effectiveness. EMS is up against a reduction in funding due to restrictions being placed on third party billing by the Federal Government as well as a decline in volunteerism because it is evolving into such a complex and dynamic industry.

Rescue 8 has recognized these forthcoming changes and has made the necessary adjustments in management and day to day operations. In 2001 Medicare reform was at the top of everyone's agenda involved in EMS, in response to the governments changes Rescue 8 formed it's own Medicare Compliance Program, which insures and protects the consumer from fraudulent billing practices. Rescue 8 in addition embarked on a research study program with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to determine the efficiency of Endotracheal Intubation. Rescue 8 is also developing other ways to generate income due to the predicted cut backs in health care reimbursement without requiring help from the taxpayer. EMS will most certainly have to become creative to generate income. EMS may specialize in other areas of care the same way in which a nurse or physician would do. EMS may contribute to solving the overcrowding problem in hospital emergency rooms by treating more non-life threatening conditions right in the comfort of someone's home. EMS may play more of a role in injury and illness prevention through public education, furthermore resulting in a more appropriate use of medical resources available to the public.

Conclusion

Rescue 8's ultimate goal is to become a true community based health care system, which is integrated with other health care providers, public health, and public safety agencies, with the ability to identify or modify illness and injury risks, provide acute illness and injury care and contribute to the treatment of chronic conditions and community health care monitoring.

Update

As of January 1, 2006 North Huntingdon Rescue 8 will no longer be providing EMS Services to the Residents of Sewickley Township. Sewickley Township Community Ambulance has been re-organized and will begin coverage of Sewickley Township once again. We wish Sewickley Township Community Ambulance all the best! Click Here for their website.