| During the
First few months of 1955, five people met at various times to discuss the
possibility of
organizing a rescue squad to serve the growing communities of Levittown and Fairless
Hills. These people sold subscriptions to the Evening Times to raise funds for a down
payment on a used 1948 Buick ambulance. The first recorded membership meeting of the
"Levittown Emergency Squad" was held at the John Billington Post of the
V.F.W. Attending the meeting were only eight people; they were: Fred Smith, Olga
Buck, James McGonigle, Robert Goldsmith, Bernard Korson, Mrs. Lee Garb, Michael Garmella,
and Betty Croingshield. Plans were discussed to hold a first-aid class to train new
members. The ambulance was to be housed in the rear garage of Beck Mortuary.
These were the first members of the squad, and this was their first headquarters.
By August 7, 1955, the
general membership voted to purchase a second ambulance to facilitate transporting
patients outside of the immediate area. On November 1, 1955 at a special meeting, a
revised constitution and bylaws governing the Levittown Emergency Squad was adopted.
At that same meeting, the name of the organization was changed. From then on it was
to be known as the Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad.
Within one year, the
squad had outgrown its first headquarters, and in the Fall of 1956 moved to the old Bolton
Mansion in Holly Hill. The building was rented to the squad for $1/year by Levitt
and Sons. The rapidly growing organization responded to approximately 500 calls
during its first year.
In January of 1962 the
rescue squad had grown from its original eight members to over one hundred, and had
responded to nearly 2,000 calls per year. Squad headquarters was once again moved to
a new, larger location at 7405 Newportville Road. Less than four years later, a
garage was built to house the five ambulances the squad now operated.
As the
Levittown-Fairless Hills community increased, so did the demand for ambulance
services. In March of 1971, a group of squad members began construction on a larger
and more functional headquarters. The new headquarters was built on the existing
garage. As operating expenses and the demand for services increased, funds obtained
through donations and block collections became insufficient. Progress on the new
headquarters came to a standstill. In January of 1973, the squad appealed to the
public for donations, through its first subscription drive. The response was
overwhelming. Local businessmen offered financial aid, and through the generosity of
the public, progress on the building resumed in 1974.
In the early 1980's
the County of Bucks initiated a new form of care to the community, Mobile Intensive
Care Units, staffed by Paramedics, and the squad was there with the most
students in the first paramedic class. The first MICU was in service to the
Levittown-Fairless Hills community in approximately one year, staffed with volunteers from
the squad.
By the end of 1983, it
was apparent that the squad should once more expand it's service to the community.
More calls were coming in for the service of the squad, and so in January of 1984 work
began on the creation of a sub station, to be located in Falls Township. A location
was found on Makefield Road, and the squad acquired the old Falls Township Fire Company
substation.
Today, many years
later, the Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad has grown from eight members, who
would volunteer their time to the community, by riding in a used 1948 ambulance when
possible, to a full compliment of ALS and BLS units, manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
from two locations.
From the rear of a
mortuary to our current locations, our goal has always been to provide the best possible
care to the community, and its so eloquently states in the official squad prayer:
Intensify our compassion for
our fellow man. Grant that we may place above all else the services we are duty
bound to render our fellow man. Give us the strength and serenity to carry out our
duties in the face of grace and sometimes hopeless situations. Let us give more of
ourselves in every situation we encounter, for we pass this way but once...
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