Presenting researching notes on the history of rescue and ambulance services in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

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Summary

Before 1960

• 1921 – First advertisements appear for ambulance services in newspapers. Operators are car and taxi companies.
• 1926 – Funeral homes begin adding ambulance services. 
• 1947 – Charlotte Life Saving and First Aid Crew organized. But they’re not an ambulance service at the start. 
• 1957 – Carolina Medical Services Inc. started operating a new division in Charlotte and a short-lived ambulance service, about six weeks.
• 1958 – Charlotte Life Saving and First Aid Crew criticized for their inadequate response after two children drown in culvert. City officials discuss options, including proposal from fire chief to form a rescue squad. The life saving squad receives a donated ambulance as a result. 
• 1959 – North Mecklenburg Volunteer Rescue Squad created in Huntersville.

1960 to 1969

• 1960 – City informed by funeral directors that they want out of the ambulance business that year. 
• 1960 – Ambulance Service of Charlotte, Inc. begins operating.
• 1961 – South Mecklenburg Life Saving and Rescue Crew, Inc., is organized.
• 1962 – UMECK Rescue Squad, Inc., is organized.
• 1966 – North Mecklenburg Volunteer Rescue Squad took over ambulance service in the Davidson, Huntersville, and Cornelius areas.
• 1966 – North Mecklenburg Ambulance Service, Inc., began operation. Formed by members of North Mecklenburg Volunteer Rescue Squad, it was a paid organization that provided daytime EMS and rescue coverage, while the volunteer rescue squad answered calls at night. 
• 1968 – Steele Creek VFD started providing ambulance service.

1970 to 1979

• 1974 – Mint Hill ambulance service started.
• 1974 – County takes over responsibility for county-wide ambulance service. Charlotte Ambulance Service, Inc., begins operating with a new contract with the county. They are renamed as Mecklenburg Emergency Medical Service (MEMS).
• 1975c – Wilkinson Boulevard VFD started providing ambulance service.
• 1977 – Snapshot. County franchised providers are MEMS, Mint Hill VFD, North Mecklenburg Ambulance Service, Inc., Overlapping services include the life saving squad, North Mecklenburg RS, UMECK RS, and fire department ambulances. 
• 1978 – New county ambulance service started, MEDIC. 

1980 to 1999

• 1989 – North Mecklenburg Ambulance Service ended operations. It’s service area was taken over by MEDIC and most of their employees were hired by MEDIC.
• 1991 – Matthews Rescue & EMS organized. 
• 1996 – County began contracting with a new MEDIC agency, named Mecklenburg EMS Agency, Inc. They took control of the county’s existing fleet and stations along with most of its EMS equipment and supplies. All current employees were offered jobs with no loss of salary or benefits. The new agency was governed by a seven-member board, with three officials from the owners of Carolinas Medical Center, three officials from the owners of Presbyterian Hospital, and one county official. 

2000 to Present

• 2008 – Matthews Rescue & EMS merged with Matthews-Morningstar Fire to create Matthews Fire & EMS. 
• 2017 – North Mecklenburg Volunteer Rescue Squad ceased operating.
• 2019 – Mint Hill Fire & EMS ceased ambulance operations.