SURRY COUNTY, Va. — The Surry County Volunteer Rescue Squad is in its final days of service.
On April 9, the rescue team is voluntarily dissolving after nearly six decades of service, according to a release from Surry County.
The Virginia Department of Health was notified of the termination in January.
The county says both urban and rural jurisdictions are facing an extreme shortage of Emergency Medical Service volunteers, and that the required training hours and need for availability is becoming more difficult to meet.
Surry County has heavily relied on mutual aid from surrounding areas because of the shortage, according to the county.
The county says the volunteer squad answered less than 2% of total calls in the past year as a result.
Many calls for service are answered by Isle of Wight and Sussex counties.
Last year, Surry County Emergency Medical Services, or SCEMS, was approved as the designated emergency response agency in the county.
In December, the agency was authorized to provide advanced and basic life support on the scene, according to the release.
SCEMS is working to develop volunteer opportunities for the community. The team is also working to install AED devices across the county and certify its county dispatchers to give callers care instructions until help arrives, according to the county.
The Surry County Board of Supervisors says it is appreciative of the "long-standing and passionate service commitment given by all members of the Surry Volunteer Rescue Squad."
