|
|
Get more information!
Visit our WVRS Facebook Group
Complete the form below and hit "Submit", our membership committee will be in touch!
The Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad (WVRS) was formed in 1955 and has served the community of Wheaton and surrounding areas of Montgomery County for over 45 years. We are a non-profit organization that is fully staffed by volunteers every evening, weekend, and holiday. We are in constant need of new members to become Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and firefighters. We are also in need of people who have expertise in bookkeeping, clerical, mechanical, and other related areas.
Membership is open to anyone over the age of 16. All equipment and training is provided by WVRS or Montgomery County. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, please download a membership application and complete the web form on this site.
All training is provided free of charge. No prior experience is required. Members will begin regular duty as probationary members. Probationary members will move up ranks as they complete Level 1 and later on, Level 2 training (described below in detail).
Level 1: Consists of the basic skills that are necessary for riding the ambulance. During Level 1, members will demonstrate their ability to perform assigned duties around the station, including answering business and emergency phone calls, receiving dispatch information, and reporting for duty on time. They will also be tested on their ability to obtain vital signs, operate the ambulance cot, and locate equipment on the ambulance. New members will attend classes on CPR, Cultural Diversity, EEO/AA and the Law, and Bloodborne/Airborne Pathogens. After demonstrating the necessary skills and passing a short written test, Level 1 will be completed, and the member will be allowed to serve as riding Co-Pilot on an ambulance unit.
Level 2: To qualify for active membership. The first part of Level 2 is the Emergency Medical Technician course, which takes anywhere from 1 to 6 months and is provided at the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Training Academy. After passing EMT, members will demonstrate various skills and pass a written test. After passing Level 2, members will be voted in as active members and begin serving as Aide Person or Officer-in-Charge on the ambulance.
Achievment of Level 2 is expected within one year of joining WVRS. Members often will continue to choose new training and opportunities to include firefighting, unit drivers, and other functions.
A minimum commitment of approximately 80 hours per month is required. These hours consist of a weekly duty night, usually from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM and half of every third weekend. Applicants may choose any night from Sunday through Friday as their duty night, subject to the needs of the Rescue Squad. Prospective members must possess fluency in English speaking and writing.
Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible for membership at the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad. Minors between the ages of 16 and 17 will participate in our Cadet Program, where they will receive all of the necessary training to become an EMT, as well as assisting on ambulance calls, without having to spend school nights at the station.
Prospective operational members will be required to take and pass a physical examination and drug screening administered through Montgomery County. The exam is free of charge. Additionally, backgound, criminal, and reference checks may be conducted.
Ride Along - Observer
Contact us via email or the web form above to request a ride-along. You may be granted an opportunity to observe WVRS crews in action on 911 responses. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age or older. Ride-along applications are at the discretion of the WVRS Line and Staff Officers and may be denied at any time.
Membership Application
When completing a membership application, please remember to attach copies of a resume, military discharge papers, and any pertinent certificates or articles. You will also be required to obtain letters of reference from three people outside your family, who can comment on your education, work experience, or community involvement. Those letters may be mailed or faxed directly to WVRS, or may be returned to you in a sealed and signed envelope and submitted with your application.
The application process usually takes at 2 to 3 months from the time we receive your complete application, to the time you attend an orientation. We evaluate complete applications and conduct interviews on a rolling basis.
Contact
|
Membership Chairman |
 |  WVRS_Membership_Application_and_Ref_Form_2-14-2008.pdf |