The Cambridge Valley Rescue Squad, Inc. (CVRS), a 501(c)3 charitable organization, has been providing emergency medical services (EMS) to the greater Cambridge, NY community since its founding in 1969.
CVRS provides emergency medical services to a rural area surrounding the Village of Cambridge in eastern New York. This includes the Towns of White Creek, Cambridge & Jackson. We also provide mutual aid assistance to neighboring communities including Easton, Greenwich, Hoosick and occasionally to neighboring communities in Vermont.
In 2016, we respond to 1,626 incidents, a new record for volume. We have a fleet of 4 advanced life support (ALS) equipped ambulances, 1 agency-owned ALS first response vehicle, 2 Community Paramedicine ESAV’s and 6 personally owned Emergency Ambulance Service Vehicles. Our current roster includes 52 volunteers (30 are active), 4 full time, 8 Part-time, 5 per diem and 2 Mobile Health Care paid staff members.
EMS is a training intense activity, and our organization accumulates approximately 2,100 hours of training annually in certification courses and continuing education.
CVRS’s activities are funded through a combination of billing revenues, municipal government donations, government grants, fundraisers and private donations. We welcome volunteers with interest in direct EMS involvement and also auxiliary roles. We also continually accept expressions of interest from those seeking careers at CVRS.
In 2003, the Mary McClellan Hospital in Cambridge, NY was closed. In addition to the significant loss this represented to the community, it also required a transformation of the CVRS. Longer transport times and the need for more advanced care became apparent.
The majority of patients requiring transport are brought to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (Bennington, VT), Glens Falls Hospital (Glens Falls, NY), Saratoga Hospital (Saratoga Springs, NY), Albany Medical Center (Albany, NY), St. Peter’s Hospital (Albany, NY), St. Mary’s Hospital (Troy, NY), Samaritan Hospital (Troy, NY), or the Veteran’s Administration Hospital (Albany, NY).