Air King Rescue Squad
Southeast Winston Rescue Squad

Research Notes

See also digital version of 1974 history book - See source clippings and more in Google Drive folder.

Last updated: Oct 4, 2021

Pre-History

Organized as the Citizens Radio Club in the late 1950s. Members took their personal vehicles to assist citizens in the southeast community.

Air King Rescue Squad

1962, October - Founded as CB Air King Radio Rescue Squad, later shortened to Air King Rescue Squad. Name derived from their hobby as citizens band radio operations. They purchased a van with equipment for transporting patients and were housed in old Fire Station 4 at 1940 Dunleith Avenue. Squad is all-black.
1964, July - Squad has been "established" with 22 men enrolled in initial training conducted by local office of Civil Defense. Source: WSJ, 7/16/64.
1970 - Ground broken for a new headquarters at 2640 New Walkertown Road. The one-story block building occupied a 0.63 acre lot, and was still standing as of 2017.
1971, January 20 - Articles of Incorporation filed with state.
1972 - New state certification laws are passed, requiring "rigorous training" for EMS personnel. Many squad members drop out. For next five years, three men run the service, assisting county EMS only on weekends. Source: WSJ, 12/16/80.
1977 - Squad forced to stop operations, as they didn't meet state requirements that its members were Emergency Medical Technicians. Squad is inactive from 1977 to 1981.

Squad building in 1974, left

Southeast Winston Rescue Squad

1980, November - Reorganized as Southeast Winston Rescue Squad, to more accurately reflect the area of the city it served. As of December 1980, squad has eight full-time volunteers and nine in training. Has a 1972 ambulance bought from FCEMS, but needs to be replaced. By late summer, they hope to have a new "combination ambulance/rescue truck." Source: WSJ, 12/16/80.
Later purchased an ambulance with a $15,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, which required raising an additional $33,000. Relocated to a small building at 1353 Diggs Boulevard. Source: WSJ, 9/19/81.
1981, March 23 - Corporate name change filed with state.
1982-83 - Ladies Auxiliary created. Source: WSJ, 7/13/83.
1983, June - By that time had become one of the busiest rescue units in the county, serving a population of 30,985 in a ten square-mile area. They answered up to eight calls a day. They also assisted Forsyth County EMS, which answered calls in their district with just two EMS employees. It cost $22,000 to keep the 26-member squad operating, and pay rent on their small building on Diggs Boulevard. By this time, they are predominately all-black.
1983, July - Snapshot. From October 1981 to November 1982, the squad answered 2,071 calls. Source: WSJ, 7/13/83.
1985 - Begins receiving funding from United Way of Forsyth County. They didn't charge for their services, and relied on grants and community fundraising. (Alternate year 1983.)
1992 - Responds to 2,500 emergency calls that year. Its main territory was East Winston, southeast Winston-Salem, and the Happy Hills Garden community.
1993, June - Squad has sixteen members trained as EMTs.
1993, Oct - Squad suffers loss when $70,000 rescue truck is stolen, vandalized, and abandoned, while a squad member was assisting an injured woman. The truck is replaced with donations from individuals, groups, and businesses. Source: WSJ, 11/14/95.
1994, Feb 28 - County commissioners adopt resolution declaring 1988 4WD Chevrolet Suburban (ambulance), county vehicle #5118, disposed to the rescue squad. Source: BOC Minutes, 2/28/94.
1995, Apr - Snapshot, the squad has 20 to 25 volunteers and four vehicles. Source: WSJ, 4/8/95.
1995, Oct/Nov - Squad buys "former brake shop" on Williamson Street, for new headquarters. Members have volunteered their time to add walls and other renovations to the 10,000 metal building, which cost $195,000. Squad hopes to move into building in January. Prior HQ was a light blue, five-room house on Diggs Boulevard, where they had operated for 13.5 years. Squad as 22 members and 12 to 15 cadets. Source: WSJ, 11/14/95.
1999? - Ceased operation after Winston-Salem FD [?] took over medical response within the city limits.

Sources

Winston-Salem Chronicle, via North Carolina Newspapers:

"Rescue Squad Revived," December 13, 1980.
"Rescue Squad Fights For Life," August 4, 1983.
"Volunteers Help Give Lives through Gift of Giving," June 24, 1993.
"Rescue Squad Reaches Half its Goal", February 17, 1994.

Winston-Salem Journal, assorted issues.

Air King Rescue SquadSoutheast Winston Rescue Squad