Rescue squad
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"Rescue squad" redirects here. For other uses, see Rescue squad (disambiguation).
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A rescue squad is typically the same as a first aid, rescue, emergency medical services, emergency or safety squad. However, a rescue squad may also be part of a fire department, race car team, or military unit.
In the traditional sense, dating back to the early 1900's, a rescue squad is a volunteer organization that provides Emergency Medical Services in addition to rescue services which include but are not limited to confined space rescue, cave, vehicle extrication, search and rescue, high angle rescue, and swiftwater rescue. As many fire departments only recently during the 1990's have taken over rescue, many squads that used to function as "true" Rescue Squads have recently only been relegated to basic EMS ambulance services. However, a majority of rescue squads still maintain and perform their original and historical function of Emergency Medical Services as part of a rescue operations such as motor vehicle extrication, search, or any of the other rescue operations. Typically, a rescue squad has equipment such as ambulances, light and heavy rescue vehicles, and possibly boats. Rescue squads are often staffed both by emergency medical technicians and specially trained firefighters.
