Rescue squads are emergency service personnel that train and are equipped to handle emergencies such as: vehicle extrication, water surface rescue, ice rescue, high/low angle rope rescue, search for lost persons, trench rescue, confined space, water recover/dive operations, medical emergencies and fire operations. A rescue squad is generally comprised of fire, EMS, or police personnel, or some combination thereof.

The term may also refer to such an organization's vehicles (rescue squads, heavy rescues, rescue engines, rescue trucks, rescue companies, rescue pumpers, etc).

The term has also been used specifically in naming EMS units since the 1900's. Examples include: "Myrtle Beach (SC) Rescue Squad" which is an Ambulance based EMS operation that includes rescue functions. The Term "Rescue Squad" in much of the Northeast suburbs stands for and has traditionally represented non-affiliated and independent EMS/Ambulance based operations. As such, the Incorporation name of this EMS unit includes the words "Rescue Squad", as compared to being a Rescue Company as part of the registered trade name, "Fire Department of New York". This can be evidenced by the hundreds of Companies with the registered Corporation name such as "Virginia Beach Rescue Squad", as compared to the "Fire Department of New York", which has a division called "Rescue Company 1".

As such, a rescue squad is also typically the same as, and typically interchanged in dialog as, a first aid, rescue, emergency medical services, emergency or safety squad in many regions of the United States. However, a rescue squad may also be part of a fire department, race car team, or military unit.

Whereas you might have a "Rescue Company" as part of a Fire Department - in the traditional sense, dating back to the early 1900's, a rescue squad is part of the registered Incorporation name of a volunteer organization that provides emergency medical services in addition to rescue services which include but are not limited to confined space rescue, cave, vehicle extrication, search and rescue, high angle rescue, and swiftwater rescue. As many fire departments only recently during the 1990's have taken over rescue, many squads that used to function as "true" Rescue Squads have recently only been relegated to basic EMS ambulance services. However, a majority of rescue squads still maintain and perform their original and historical function of Emergency Medical Services as part of a rescue operations such as motor vehicle extrication, search, or any of the other rescue operations. Typically, a rescue squad has equipment such as ambulances, light and heavy rescue vehicles, and possibly boats. Rescue squads are often staffed both by emergency medical technicians and specially trained firefighters.

See also

• Heavy rescue vehicle
• Ambulance

Rescue | Firefighting equipment | Emergency vehicles