The Whitmire Rescue Squad was founded in 1962 by a group of area citizens concerned with the lack of an organized process to assist in the search for lost persons, recovery of drowning victims, and the extrication of auto crash victims. The Squad acquired a truck and a boat and began emergency response. The Squad became active in regional responses traveling throughout the upstate to assist with r
escue and recovery efforts. When ambulance service became unavailable in the Whitmire area, the Squad expanded its role to include emergency medical service. The Squad upgraded its ambulance service to include trained attendants before state law required such and was one of the first licensed ambulance providers in the state. The Squad continued to be a progressive service becoming the first ambulance service in Newberry County to provide an advanced level of care through the EMT Intermediate program. The Squad was one of two services in the state to participate in a pilot study of the use of automatic defibrillation, a program now in use statewide. The first Squad in the county to operate a rescue vehicle specifically designed for the purpose, rescue technology has continued to be a major focus of the organization. The Squad quickly became a reliable source of community service that has been tapped by various organizations. Community events such as street dances, Christmas Cheer Fund, Open Houses, Santa Clause Party for the community's Children are but a few examples. The Squad has remained on the forefront of emergency response through the years and continues to evolve as the field and art of rescue does.
