Research notes on Sanford and Lee County rescue and ambulance history.

See Google Drive of source articles. 

1950s

1952, Apr – Visiting civil defense rescue truck was displayed in Sanford, and viewed by members of the Sanford Municipal Civil Defense Council and other local officials. The town, however, planned no purchase of such a truck. [SH, 4/3/52]

1958, Jul – American Legion Post 382 started organizing a rescue squad as part of the county civil defense organization. [SH, 7/21/59] The group was referred to as Sanford Rescue Squad and/or Lee County Rescue Squad and/or Lee County Civil Defense Rescue Squad.

1959, Jan – By this time, the county had recently acquired a civil defense rescue truck. County officials were looking for a location to house the truck. [SH, 1/8/59]

1959, Apr – Newspaper citations of a “Sanford rescue squad” and a “Lee County rescue truck” that responded to a drowning on the Cape Fear River. [SH, 4/25/59]

1960s

1961, Jan – Two Sanford funeral homes announced plans to cease ambulance service on April 1. There were four total funeral homes that provided ambulance services. Local officials were working on a plan to provide ambulance service in the city. [SH, 1/12/61]

1961, Apr – Fenstamacher Ambulance Service started operating on at 6:00 p.m. on March 31, 1961. The operator was local businessman H. V. Fenstamacher and the firm was located on North Steele Street.  [SH, 3/6/61, 3/28/61] City council subsequently started proceedings to force the company to stop operating out of a residential area. Though the company’s daytime offices were on North Steele Street, the service operated from the home of a driver at 513 W. Chisholm Street on nights and weekends. [SH, 4/19/61] By September, the owner said he would discontinue service at the end of the month, unless he could receive financial aid. [SH, 9/30/61] The service continued operating, however.

1961, Oct – Morrow’s Ambulance Service started operating, after Fenstamacher’s service was sold to new owner Ray Morrow, who operated an auto repair shop. His body shop on Raleigh Highway was the ambulance service headquarters. [SH, 10/14/61] But he soon cited difficulties with his service, including communication problems with the state highway patrol. He indicated plans to stop the service, unless problems could be resolved. On March 1, 1962, newspapers reported that the company’s board had decided to continue operations, instead of ending on that date. [SH, 3/1/62]

1962, May – Morrow’s Ambulance Service announced plans to stop operating on May 31, because the company was consistently losing money. Hospital officials were asked to take over the service but declined. A new non-profit would be created to operate the service named Ambulance, Inc. [SH, 5/24/62] In a last-minute arrangement, the new non-profit would provide funding to the ambulance company, which agreed to continue operations. [SH, 6/2/62]

1962, Aug – Tate Ambulance Service started operation. Morrow’s ambulance company was sold to H. G. Tate, a service station operator, due to business conflicts. The new service would be operated out of the owner’s Tenneco service station at 1500 Lee Avenue. He had three ambulances, a blue Pontiac, a blue Ford, and a red Cadillac. The previous owner, Ray Morrow, said the service was getting too big. Also, Morrow could not operate his wrecker service and ambulance service effectively at the same time. [SH, 8/23/62]

1962, Sep – The North Carolina Ambulance Club, Inc., was organized by this time and advertised for memberships to receive unlimited ambulance service from Tate Ambulance Service. [SH, 9/7/62]

1962, Oct – Sanford-Lee County Volunteer Rescue Squad organized, as a re-organization of the Lee County Rescue Squad. Initial steps were taken at a meeting held at the civil defense office in the Carolina Hotel on October 1, 1962. M. L. Harrington was named president and rescue equipment was temporarily stored at his home. T. G. Little was named vice president, Charles Warner, secretary, and Thomas A. Harrington, secretary. Already 32 volunteers had enrolled, including many members of American Legion Post 38, which formerly maintained the rescue unit. Much of their equipment would be acquired by the new organization and at minimal cost: a rescue truck, boat, supplies, light generator, and resuscitator. [SH, 10/2/62]

1962. Nov – Squad incorporated. [SH, 1/8/65]

1963, May – Sanford Ambulance Service was operating by this time, a second service in town. It was owned and operated by Robert Lee Tripp and addressed 164 Charlotte Avenue. [SH, 5/8/63, 6/17/63]

1964, Sep – Last newspaper citation for “Tate’s Ambulance Service.”

1965, Jan – Construction recently started on new squad headquarters building. [SH, 1/8/65]

1965, Jan – Snapshot. Squad is only one in Lee County. Members are all volunteers. They meet weekly for training and work sessions. Each member has a radio, using the same frequency as the city and rural fire departments, and are linked through city hall. Squad has three trucks: 1961 Dodge field ambulance, 1953 International truck, and 1951 Chevy pick-up, plus three generator trailers. Officers include Captain Laird Harrington, Supply Officer Tom Harrington, and Training Officers Reid Matthewss, Earl Caviness, and Arthur Tabayoyon. The squad’s equipment is stored at the residences of the squad captain and squad supply officer. [SH, 1/8/65]

1966, Apr – Lee County Ambulance Service, Inc. was operating by this time. Owners were Rusty Phillips and Waylon Angel. They were previously employees of Tate’s service station, which previously ran an ambulance service. The new firm had three ambulances. There was also at least one other ambulance service operating in the area at the time. [SH, 4/20/66]

1966, Oct – Squad headquarters completed McIver Street. They’re dedicated in October. The new building includes a kitchen-office combo, bunkrooms, and equipment storage. [SH, 10/17/66]

1966, Oct – Snapshot. Squad’s primary vehicle is a “field ambulance” that can carry as many as five victims. It’s equipped with first aid equipment, stretchers, two air packs, and extrication tools. Second truck is used mainly to pull the squad’s boats and carry water rescue equipment. The third truck is a pick-up truck. The fourth vehicle is an ambulance that’s 13 years old, that members are reconditioning. The squad responds to emergency calls, performs non-emergency transports, and stand-by at sporting events. [SH, 10/22/66]

1967, Apr 26 – Lee County Ambulance Service, Inc. announced that it was ending service on May 1, 1967. [SH, 4/26/67] The rescue squad took over emergency ambulance service for the city and county. [SH, 5/3/68]

1968, Dec – New ambulance received. The $7,500 vehicle was bought by the county and the first squad vehicle procured with outside money. All others were bought with money raised by the squad itself. With the addition, the squad can transport up to nine patients in all of their vehicles. [SH, 12/25/68]

1967 or 1968 – Due to call volume, the squad could not sustain volunteer-run ambulance service. The county began providing two paid employees. [SH, 9/24/84]

1969, Nov – Snapshot. During October 1969, the squad answered more than 100 ambulance calls, and 15 of which were for “highway accidents.” The squad has 22 volunteer members. [SH, 11/1/69]

1970s

1970, Aug –Lee County Ambulance Service was operating by this time and likely co-located with the rescue squad. [SH, 8/28/70]

1972, Feb – New ambulance received. The $10,986 was brought back from Memphis. [SH, 2/14/72]

1972, Jun – Snapshot. Squad added a new crash truck by this time, a 1971 Chevy panel van with a “high top” and painted red. It’s back up by a 1966 panel van. They also have a 1967 Cadillac ambulance, painted green. It’s backed up by a 1969 International ambulance. Squad also has a 1961 Dodge field ambulance, 4WD, painted yellow. Used for drownings, searches, and other calls that involve “rough terrain.” The squad’s extrication equipment include a “porta power” with mechanical “jaws,” a “come-along” with chain and hook, and a “quick bar” pry bar. [SH, 6/1/72]

1972, Sep – New ambulance received. The Pontiac/Superior cost $14,000 and was brought from Ohio. The squad now had two ambulances and two crash trucks. [SH, 9/9/72]

1973, Aug – Squad was acquiring their first “jaws of life.” They had been holding fundraisers for a year and a half to purchase the equipment, which cost nearly $4,000. The squad said that only other squad in the state currently had one. They hope to have it there and ready within a month. [SH, 8/11/73]

1975, Jan – County approved advertising for a new modular ambulance to replace the squad’s ambulance recently totaled in a highway accident on US 421 east. [SH, 1/7/75]

1980s

1981 – Lee County Ambulance Advisory Commission formed, created to address operational issues including requests by local residents to be transported in emergencies by public ambulance to a different hospital than the closest available, and ensuring that enough personnel and equipment were available in the county. [SH, 1/16/84]

1984, Sep – Snapshot. LCAS had nine paid employees and 20 volunteers. Paid staff worked 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., three days each week. Volunteers work nights. Part-time employees worked on Sunday.  [SH, 9/24/84]

1986, Sep – By this time, LCAS was named Lee County EMS. They had a staff of 24 full-time and volunteer members. All were certified as EMT, nine were EMT-I. They operated four front line ambulances and had a fifth as reserve. They also performed their own extrication services and had a Hurst tool. [SH, 9/11/86, 9/24/86]

1990s

1991, Sep – Snapshot. Squad has 19 members, all volunteers. Eight are EMTs. The squad no longer provided EMS services, but both the squad and LCEMS were housed in the same building at 133 McIver Street. [SH, 9/25/91]

1999, Mar – County started new first responder program, where local emergency volunteers respond to medical emergencies in their private vehicles. There are 62 volunteers countywide in the program, assigned to one of nine districts based on the nine rural fire districts. The program was created with the squad’s help. [SH, 3/27/99]

1999, Mar – Snapshot. Squad has 35 members, male and female, and from all walks of life. Several are paramedics who work with Central Carolina Hospital ambulance service. To join, a person must be 18 years old and obtaining EMT within one year, or ERT within two. They must attend at least 50 percent of weekly staff meetings, and receive a minimum of 36 hours of training each year. They must work at least three shifts each week. [SH, 3/16/99]

2000s

2001, Jan – Snapshot. Squad was now named Lee County Rescue Squad. No longer provided EMS transport service. They had 32 members, three vehicles, and a service area of 255 square-miles and 49,625 people. They provided technical rescue services: extrication, search and rescue, water rescue and recovery, high-angle rescue, and trench rescue. [web site via Internet Archive]

2001, Sep – News reported that Sanford city council denied a request from the squad for a $5,000 contribution, to match what the county appropriated in July. [SH, 9/6/01]

2002, Sep – News reported that the squad needed financial assistance. Twice in recent months they had their power turned off, had no workers comp insurance, and was unable to buy fuel. Squad officials had appealed to county officials for a new tax to help fund the squad. County commissioners voted to research the idea. The squad’s basic expenses totaled $2,700 per month. [SH, 9/19/02]

2003, Mar – County commissioners decided in a 5-1 vote on March 17, 2003, not to continue contracting the squad’s services. With the change, rescue operations would be performed by county fire departments, saving the county about $300,000 in capital expenses. A team would also be created within county fire departments for other types of rescues. The squad’s operating budget was between $35,000 and $40,000, with about $5,000 per year from the county. The rest of their money was donated or raised through fundraisers. The squad had 28 volunteer members. [SH, 3/18/03, 3/19/03]