If you have driven by the Shenandoah Rescue Squad building at 544 4th Street in Shenandoah lately, you will have noticed new signs have been placed on the building.
The former signage read Shenandoah & Rescue One has been replaced with Page County Fire-EMS. It was reported during Shenandoah Town Council meeting on December 14, 2021 that Shenandoah Rescue Squad, Inc has disbanded.
In an article written by Randy Arrington with the Page Valley News on May 5, 2022 stated “the Page County Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $317,700 for the purchase of the former Shenandoah Rescue Squad (Rescue One) building from the Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.” The article goes on to quote District 5 supervisor Jeff Vaughan “What’s driving this countywide is a lack of volunteers. Providing public safety is expensive, and it’s going to get more expensive,” District 5 supervisor Jeff Vaughan said prior to the vote Monday night. “It’s been a touchy situation…It’s a bridge we’re going to have to cross with Stanley and Luray…it’s just a matter of time.”
The referenced Town of Shenandoah Council minutes and article by Randy Arrington are listed below.
History of Shenandoah Rescue Squad
The Shenandoah Rescue Squad Inc was organized October 1968 and was first housed in the Old Town Hall building at 411 Second Street. In the book Shenandoah A History of Our Town And Its People on page 317 you can see the letters on the front of the building, during the period the front of the building was being used as home to Shenandoah Rescue Squad & reference on page 167. On page 170 it states the Shenandoah Rescue Squad Ladies Auxiliary held their first meeting on January 17, 1975 in the newly remodeled rescue squad building.
See our related article and pictures on Old Town Hall building:
http://shenandoahnewz.com/town-history-new/131-the-shenandoah-jail
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Regular Meeting, Town Council Minutes December 14, 2021
RECEIVING OF VISITORS
Woody Brown, Page County Director of Emergency Services stated the Shenandoah Rescue Squad, Inc has disbanded. All assets will revert to the Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Department. The volunteers plan to form a new entity Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad, LLC to have an organization to be affiliated for licensing. In the meantime, Page County Emergency Services will continue to have an ambulance and EMS staff 24/7 in Shenandoah, and they hope to carry out services in the same building.
Councilman Jenkins asked if the volunteers could still assist Page County Emergency Services?
Mr. Brown stated the volunteers are not licensed since they do not have an organization to be affiliated for licensing.
Councilman Jenkins asked if the age of the ambulances now owned by the Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Department was sustainable for use?
Mr. Brown stated the ambulances were not new but had low miles.
Councilman Comer asked if there was a time limit on the contract with the Shenandoah Rescue Squad, Inc for use of the Rescue Squad building by Page County Emergency Services?
Mr. Brown stated there was not a time limit on the contract, but the Shenandoah Rescue Squad, Inc and Page County Emergency Services were to meet every 3 months and both sides were given a 6 month revocation option regarding the building.
Vice Mayor Kite stated he would like to see Page County Emergency Services stay in the building in Shenandoah.
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Supervisors agree to buy Shenandoah Rescue Squad building and property for $317,700
Page Valley News https://pagevalleynews.com/supervisors-agree-to-buy-shenandoah-rescue-squad-building-and-property-for-317700/
LURAY, May 2 — On Monday night during a work session, the Page County Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $317,700 for the purchase of the former Shenandoah Rescue Squad (Rescue One) building from the Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. The rescue squad disbanded in November, and all of its assets reverted to the fire department.
The purchase agreement includes eight tracts of property at 544 Fourth Street in Shenandoah, with tracts 1-3 valued at $287,700 and tracts 4-8 value at $30,000. The agreement also contains a list of other property being conveyed “as is” — smoker; grill; nine wooden tables; two metal cabinets in upper bay; mop bucket; shop vac; l6 chairs; pressure washer; cleaning tools accessories; hose cart; five lockers; beds; file cabinet; printer; desk; furniture; TV; camera system.
“What’s driving this countywide is a lack of volunteers. Providing public safety is expensive, and it’s going to get more expensive,” District 5 supervisor Jeff Vaughan said prior to the vote Monday night. “It’s been a touchy situation…It’s a bridge we’re going to have to cross with Stanley and Luray…it’s just a matter of time.”
Page County Emergency Services has been providing 24/7 ambulance coverage in the southern end of the county exclusively for months, while supplementing volunteer efforts in Stanley and Luray. County EMS staff has been using the Rescue One building to provide that service. According to County Administrator Amity Moler, the county “purchased one of [Rescue One’s] ambulances a few months ago. There was a second ambulance [two-wheel drive] we were not interested in and a fairly new Tahoe, used as a response vehicle, which is now owned by the Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Department.”
“The sad part of this situation is the price we’re paying,” Vaughan said. “That facility is there because of donations of taxpayers…it’s sad we’re crossing this bridge the way we are…I feel we’re paying double.”
Vaughan spoke of how his father and uncle helped form the volunteer-based fire department in Shenandoah.
“It’s sad to see volunteers have dwindled, and we’re down to this point,” Vaughan said. The Shenandoah supervisor has often voiced his opinion at meetings about the future of emergency services in the county, and the fact that volunteerism doesn’t seem to be sustainable over the long term.
However, even more than the transition happening in emergency services, the key source of angst by supervisors in this agreement was the feeling that volunteer firefighters in Shenandoah were taking advantage of the situation.
“We are absolutely being held hostage for something the taxpayers have already paid for,” District 1 supervisor Keith Guzy said. “To hide funds…meeting in the middle of the night…the way this was handled…it wasn’t done right… Lesson learned.”
While Guzy cast the lone dissenting vote against the agreement, District 4 supervisor Larry Foltz voted in favor “against my better judgment.” The motion passed, 5-1, to purchase the Rescue One building, some contents and property for $317,700.
Ultimately, the supervisors agreed that the facility was necessary to continue offering 24/7 emergency services in the southern end of the county.
