New Hanover County Ambulance and Rescue Services History

Presenting a short history of ambulance and rescue services in New Hanover County, plus research notes and other resources.

1957, Feb – Cape Fear Ambulance Service was under new management, prices reduced, read an advertisement.
1958, Oct – Cape Fear Ambulance Service ceased answering emergency calls in the city and county, due to losing money. City started providing ambulance service through police department, county planned to equip the sheriff’s department to provide ambulance service.
1958, Oct – Wrightsville Beach reported as having emergency ambulance service, through permanent use of a “fully-equipped” Civil Air Patrol ambulance.
1958, Oct – County made 90 day agreement with Cape Fear Ambulance Company to provide emergency service to unincorporated areas, as a trial basis.
1958, Oct – Civil Air Patrol squadron ambulances were operating at Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach, and a third was being obtained at Fort Fisher.
1959, Feb – Cape Fear Ambulance Service ceased operating.
1959, Feb – Ambulance Service Company started operation.

1962, July – New Hanover County Rescue Squad organized by members in the Ogden community.
1963, Aug – Ambulance Service Company ceased operation. They were located at 3105 Wrightsville Avenue.
1963, Aug – New Hanover County Rescue Squad planned to “partially provide” emergency ambulance service, to cover the service gap with the closing of the private company.
1964, Feb – New Hanover County Rescue Squad announced that free ambulance service would be provided at night and on weekends. They had one ambulance and a second expected to be ready in a couple days.
1964, Feb – Immediate deactivation of New Hanover County Rescue Squad ordered by Civil Defense Director, due to the squad now competing with local private ambulance service and thus not complying with government equipment procedures.
1964 Feb – By this time, Smith Funeral Home was operating an ambulance.
1964, ___ – Members of New Hanover County Rescue Squad reorganized as new Ogden Rescue Squad.
1967, June – By this time, Tate’s Ambulance Service was operating.
1967, July – By this time, Fort Fisher Air Station had an ambulance that occasionally served the nearby civilian community.
1967, July – Ogden Rescue Squad dedicated new building on Middle Sound Road.
1969, ___ – Wilmington FD started operating a rescue unit, a small utility truck.

1970, Sep – T&M Ambulance Service, operated by Henry Hoyle, started operation.
1972, Feb – Committee formed to evaluate needs for countywide ambulance service.
1972, Mar – Two private ambulance companies sought county funds to upgrade their equipment: T&M Ambulance and Tate’s Ambulance.
1972, Aug – County completed a study on ambulance service after seven months of work, but offered no specific recommendation to simplify the situation.
1972, Oct – Town of Carolina Beach refused to grant exclusive ambulance franchise to T&M Ambulance Service.
1973, Mar – Second iteration of New Hanover Volunteer Rescue Squad started operation on March 28.
1973, May – T&M Ambulance Service had been renamed New Hanover Ambulance Service by this time.
1973, Jun – Tate’s Ambulance Service ended operation.
1974, ___ – Wilmington FD added an ambulance, but only transported patients in life-threatening situations.
1975, Aug – Carolina Beach FD was operating an ambulance by this time, but only transported patients in life-threatening situations.
1977, Jan – Coastal Ambulance Service started operation, provided non-emergency transport services.
1977, Nov – County preparing new ambulance ordinance that would divide county in service areas, one for each ambulance service.
1979, Aug – New Hanover Ambulance Service suspended all operations, except certain services contracted to mortuaries.
1979, Aug? – Wilmington FD added second ambulance.

1980, Feb – County proposal recommends creating countywide EMS system.
1980, Jul – Effective July 1, the county started collecting $35 for all calls answered by the two county rescue squads.
1981, Jan – Carolina Beach Rescue Squad begins charging for emergency ambulance service.
1982, Jan – Carolina Beach Rescue Squad discontinued.
1982, Jan – Pleasure Island Volunteer Rescue Squad began operating.
1982, Dec – Ground broken on new headquarters for Pleasure Island VRS.
1985, Aug – Ogden RS and New Hanover VRS merged on August 1. New organization named Ogden-New Hanover County Rescue Squad.
1986, Mar – Countywide EMS system took effect on March 1. Created New Hanover County EMS. Absorbed Ogden-New Hanover and Pleasure Island squads.

1997, Feb – County commissioners suggest letting New Hanover Regional Medical Center take over county EMS department, since the program had been losing money.
1998, ___ – New Hanover Regional EMS started operation, operated by the medical center. By June, they had 52 employees and six stations with paramedic-staffed ambulances.

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