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In January 1859 the Cumberland
Valley Hose Company was organized and chartered as a volunteer
fire company dedicated to provide fire protection to the
Borough of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. On January 2, 1931,
seventy-two years later, the Cumberland Valley Hose Company
began an ambulance service. Their very first ambulance was a
Studebaker Commander 8, purchased for $2,250, that was placed
in service in May 1931.
Five years later, the Ambulance Committee, then headed by
Edgar Hockersmith, suggested the purchase of a 1932 LaSalle,
at a cost of $2,100, to replace the earlier model ambulance
due to frequent repairs.
On February 7th, 1941, arrangements were completed to purchase
a new Cadillac Ambulance through the Wolfington Body Company.
The Company continued the purchase of Cadillac Ambulances from
Wolfington Body Company through 1973.
With the delivery of a 1947 Cadillac Ambulance, the company
had reached a milestone. This would be the beginning of owning
two ambulances in the Company. From this point on, we kept two
ambulances in service, replacing them every so many years with
a newer version of the Cadillac Ambulances. The era of the
Cadillac Ambulances ended when two 1978 Dodge Yankee
Continental Coaches were purchased.
In 1982, the membership approved the purchase of a third
ambulance to add to the fleet. They purchased a 1982 Type III
Ford Modular Ambulance converted by Mobile Medical Division
from John Robba (J. & J. Inc.) at a cost of $35,000. The
company continued to upgrade the fleet in the years to come,
keeping three ambulances in operation.
The ambulance service was provided by an all volunteer group
of EMTs and Ambulance Attendants from its inception until June
1995. For the most part of 64 years, volunteers were available
to respond on ambulance calls. When most of our volunteer EMTs
were hired as paid personnel by neighboring ambulance
services, it became necessary in June 1995 to hire part-time
paid EMTs to maintain the level of ambulance service required
by state health regulations and primarily, to provide the
citizens we serve with the level of ambulance service they
expect and deserve. There are very few ambulance companies in
our neighboring counties staffed with total volunteers;
volunteerism, as existed in the past, is a luxury of a by-gone
era.
On January 1, 1999 the Cumberland Valley EMS officially became
a separate entity and an organizational element with the
responsibilities to provide emergency and non-emergency
ambulance transportation and any other services required of an
EMS organization. The Cumberland Valley EMS was structured to
make it easier to maintain and control many of the different
responsibilities involved with running both a fire and EMS
department.
During 1998 the Cumberland Valley EMS started an Ambulance
Subscription Program or more commonly called an Ambulance Club
by many area ambulance services. In an effort to provide some
relief to area citizens who can least afford a sizeable
ambulance bill and at the same time, generate some funds for
the emergency service. The subscription covers the head of the
household and anyone else living in that household. The
program does not cover non-emergency transports (those
determined to be not medically necessary). In the spring of
2002, the Cumberland Valley EMS and the West Shore ALS agreed
to do a joint Ambulance Subscription Program. This was done to
benefit the citizens of our coverage area. For an annual fee
of $75.00, households can participate in the joint Ambulance
Subscription Program in which they will be covered for basic
life support (Cumberland Valley EMS) and for advanced life
support (West Shore ALS).
The ambulance service responds on a yearly average of 1,700
calls; responses are made to medical emergencies and auto
accidents, routine transports, and ambulance stand-bys at
sporting events, the Pennsylvania Senior Games at Shippensburg
University, the Shippensburg Community Fair, and the
Shippensburg Corn Festival.
The Cumberland Valley Hose Company and the Cumberland Valley
EMS are believed to be the first emergency services providers
in the area to add community representatives to their Boards
of Directors. The community representatives provide community
input to their respective Boards and their extensive talent
and expertise materially benefit the two organizations.
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Shippensburg Area Emergency
Medical Services
235 E King St
P.O. Box 69
Shippensburg, PA 17257
(717) 532-6069
For ambulance club questions, please call
(717)-532-6069.
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| SAEMS is a non-profit
501(c)(3) charitable organization. |
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