volunteering with rescue 4

Becoming a member of the largest and busiest volunteer-based EMS system in the nation is a big commitment, but will be the experience of a lifetime. Some of the many benefits include: 

• Volunteer hours, at least 40 a month.
• Invaluable patient care experience in a very busy metropolitan 911 system. Countless members have used their experience with VBRescue to successfully compete for entrance into nursing, physician assistant and medical school, as well as jumpstart careers with public safety agencies and healthcare organizations across the nation. 
• No-cost, nationally recognized training and certification. No previous healthcare or public safety experience is required to join our team. Successful graduates of our in-house Basic Life Support Academy receive their National Registry EMT certification and Virginia EMT-B license, as well as professional CPR certification and training on how to operate emergency vehicles. 
• EMS advancement opportunities include an in-house Advanced EMT Academy, scholarships for Paramedic school, continuing education credits and courses like ACLS, PALS, TCCC/TECC, PHTLS, and many others. And, the ability to become an instructor for all those nationally recognized courses.
• Leadership opportunities in non-profit work, public safety operations, administration and management, and more. There's always a seat on the many committees, including apparatus purchasing, fundraising, and morale. 
• Virginia Beach property tax incentives and Virginia State VOLSAP retirement stipend help retain volunteers into the future.
• Special Operations and advanced training opportunities, including Crisis Intervention, Marine Rescue, the Bike and Cart teams, imbedded SWAT Medic with VBPD, Field Supervisor, Field Training Officer, and more. 
• Free or reduced admission to state and national training symposiums, many of which are hosted right here in the Tidewater area.
• Gaining a new family. It is common for our members to spend time together off-duty at events like parties and get-togethers, escape rooms and TopGolf, hikes and camping trips, and, of course, beach days. 
• Membership in a progressive EMS agency. All our state-of-the-art ambulances are designed by our active riding membership and built safety-focused with provider and patient in mind. Our ambulances feature community and grant-funded LUCAS CPR devices, Stryker power-cot and power-loader systems, and LifePak15 cardiac monitors with telemetry capabilities. Advanced life support providers are able to gain additional qualifications to provide rapid sequence induction (RSI), administer whole blood, and utilize ultrasound in the field. Additionally, our members provide care under operating procedures and protocols that enable both BLS and ALS providers to think critically and operate at the top of their capabilities and training. 

There's no better place to gain experience than with VBRescue. 

Volunteering with us will be some of the most challenging - but exceptionally rewarding - experiences of your life. 

Operational members are required provide a minimum of 40 hours a month, with at least 36 hours of duty through prescheduled shifts (generally 10, 12 or 24 hour shifts) and 4 hours which can be used towards administrative functions including training. Members are encouraged to provide additional time to station and administration projects, take on leadership positions or collateral duties, and staff ambulances during peak hours and during major incidents. 

Administrative members are required to provide a minimum of 12 hours a month, which may be physically at the station or through teleworking/remote work depending on roles and responsibilities. 

Operational Candidates who successfully pass a background check and who are not already certified EMTs attend our in-house, no-cost Basic Life Support (BLS) Academy held through the City of Virginia Beach Department of EMS. Successful graduates of the BLS Academy receive professional CPR and National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) certification as well as Virginia Emergency Vehicle Operations (EVOC) certification. 

Administrative Candidates will attend an initial orientation through VBEMS after successfully completing a background check followed by on-the-job training with Rescue 4 leadership. 

Those who successfully complete the BLS Academy, and applicants who are current EMTs, Advanced-EMTs, EMT-Intermediates or Paramedics, will complete an Field Internship. This familiarizes the member with local procedures, policy and protocols and gradually introduces them into the organization before they are released to general supervision as Attendants-in-Charge. ALS providers (Advanced EMTs, EMT-Intermediates and Paramedics) will be required to complete their more intensive internship under an assigned Field Training Officer (FTO), then complete an oral board with our Medical Director and training team. 

All of our members regardless of certification level are released as Tidewater EMS Council providers with reciprocity throughout the local area.