Pownal Rescue Squad

03/10/2026

🚑 Employee Spotlight: Congratulations to Our Newest EMT! 🚑

Please join us in congratulating Josh Snide, our newest Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)!

Josh recently completed the EMT Course at Bennington Rescue Squad and successfully passed his National Registry exam. The EMT course is an intensive program consisting of 150 hours of classroom instruction, along with ambulance ride time and hospital clinical shifts to develop and refine patient care skills.

Josh joined Pownal Rescue Squad in the summer of 2025 as a Vermont Emergency First Responder and quickly took the next step in his EMS career by enrolling in the EMT course. Since joining our organization, Josh has become a valuable part of our team. He consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to learning, supporting his partners, and providing compassionate, high-quality care to our patients and community.

Josh will soon begin our Field Training Process as he starts operating at the EMT level.

👏 Congratulations, Josh, and thank you for your dedication to our patients and community! 🚑

03/05/2026

🚑 Congratulations to Our Newest Advanced EMT! 🚑

Please join us in congratulating Emily Hey, our newest Advanced EMT (AEMT)!

Emily recently completed the Advanced EMT Course at Bennington Rescue Squad and successfully passed her National Registry exam. The AEMT course is an intensive program consisting of 240 hours of classroom instruction, along with ambulance ride time and hospital clinical shifts to develop and refine advanced patient care skills.

Emily began her journey with Pownal Rescue Squad in 2023 as a Vermont Emergency First Responder, and quickly continued her training to become an Emergency Medical Technician. Since joining our organization, Emily has been an integral part of our team and consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and community.

Emily will soon begin our Field Training Process as she starts operating at the Advanced EMT level.

👏 Congratulations, Emily, and thank you for your dedication to our patients and community!

03/02/2026

🚑 NOW RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS! 🚑

Are you a certified EMT, AEMT, or Paramedic looking to give back and make a real difference in your community?

At Pownal Rescue Squad, volunteers play a huge role in helping us fulfill our mission. Their dedication allows us to continue providing reliable, high-quality emergency medical care to our community when it’s needed most. Every volunteer strengthens our response capabilities and helps ensure EMS remains available locally for our residents and visitors.

By joining our team, you become part of a committed group focused on service, teamwork, and community care.

✅ Modern, advanced equipment
✅ Family-oriented and supportive team
✅ Meaningful community impact
✅ Stipends available

If you’re ready to serve your community and make a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

📧 pownalrescue@outlook.com
📞 (802) 823-5000

Join us today and help support EMS in your community.

02/16/2026

🚑 We Still Have Pint Glasses Available! 🚑

🍻 Raise a Glass for Pownal Rescue!

Grab one of our custom Pownal Rescue pint glasses! Show your support for your local ambulance service while taking home a great keepsake.

🎉 This fundraiser helps us update essential medical equipment and contribute to our vehicle fund — ensuring we can continue providing high-quality emergency care to our community.

Your support truly makes a difference. ❤️

🗓 Pick-Up Location:
📍 54 Ladd Road, Pownal, VT (Pick-up only)
⚠️ Please note: Our crews may be out on emergency calls. If no one is there when you arrive, we appreciate your patience and understanding!

Price - $18 per glass

💵 Payment Options:
• Exact cash (no change available)
• Check

Supplies are limited — don’t miss out! 🚑🍻

02/03/2026

🚑 Pownal Rescue – January 2026 at a Glance 🚑

To start the year off, Pownal Rescue responded to 54 calls for service in January — providing critical care to our community and supporting neighboring agencies when needed.

📞 Calls by Type

🚨 Pownal patient transports: 14 (26%)
Transporting patients from their homes to local hospitals for medical care.

🤝 Mutual aid transports: 11 (20%)
Assisting nearby communities when additional EMS resources are required.

❌ Patient refusals: 14 (26%)
Patients were evaluated — and sometimes treated — but did not require or request transport. These calls still require a full EMS response and typically bring little to no reimbursement.

🏥 Transfers to higher-level hospitals: 8 (15%)
Helping patients reach facilities that can provide specialized or advanced care.

🛑 Cancellations: 4 (7%)
Calls we were dispatched to but cancelled prior to arrival. These responses do not generate reimbursement.

🏠 Local transfers: 3 (6%)
Transporting patients to nearby facilities such as nursing homes.

✅ Required mutual aid to Pownal: 0
Thanks to strong staffing and coverage, we were able to handle every call without needing outside assistance.

Every response represents someone in need and a team ready to answer — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

💙 Thank you for your continued support of Pownal Rescue. Your support helps ensure we remain ready whenever our community calls.

01/23/2026

❄️ Winter Storm Incoming❄️

Extreme cold and winter weather are on the way. A little preparation can go a long way in keeping you and your family safe.

🧥 Dress in layers
🚗 Travel only if necessary
🐾 Bring pets inside
🔦 Prepare for power outages
🍽️ Ensure you have adequate food, water, and emergency supplies
❤️ Check on neighbors
⚠️ Know the signs of hypothermia

🚒 Lets help our friends at Pownal Valley Fire Dept. & Pownal Fire Department by keeping the fire hydrants accessible! 🚒

Stay safe. Stay warm.

01/01/2026

🚑 Pownal Rescue – 2025 at a Glance 🚑

In 2025, Pownal Rescue responded to 878 calls to serve our community and neighbors. Here’s how we spent our year:

📞 Calls by Type

🚨 Pownal patient transports: 288 (33%)
Transporting patients to the hospital for treatment.

🤝 Mutual aid transports: 211 (24%)
-Supporting neighboring communities when extra EMS help is needed.

📍 Bennington: 149

📍 Massachusetts: 56

📍 New York: 6

❌ Patient refusals: 152 (17%)
-Patients were evaluated (and sometimes treated) but did not need or want transport.
-These calls require a full EMS response but bring minimal reimbursement, if any.

🛑 Cancellations: 91 (10%)
-Calls we were dispatched to but cancelled before arrival, sometimes due to other responders arriving first or the situation resolving.
-These calls do not generate reimbursement.

🏥 Transfers to higher-level hospitals: 88 (10%)
-Transporting patients who need a higher level of care to facilities equipped to provide it.

🏠 Local transfers (nursing homes, etc.): 48 (6%)
-Returning patients safely to their homes or transferring them to local nursing facilities.

To our community members, partner agencies, local hospitals, and dedicated staff and volunteers—thank you. Your trust, support, and collaboration allow Pownal Rescue to respond to emergencies, train for excellence, and continue serving our neighbors 24/7.

Every donation, every word of encouragement, and every moment you stand with us makes a real difference. We are proud to serve you and grateful to do it together.

Thank you for helping us keep our community safe! 🚑❤️

12/25/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas, everyone! 🎁

Wishing our community a happy holiday. Please stay safe, and thank you to those who have put their own plans on hold to care for others this holiday season! 🎄

12/08/2025

Last month, we sent out our annual donation letters, and we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us so far!

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to contribute, there’s still time. Your support helps us continue providing essential emergency services to our community.

💙 Make a tax-deductible donation online:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5BLQ59RQ2AJEU

or

📬 Mail your donation to:
Pownal Rescue Squad
PO Box 334
Pownal, VT 05261

Thank you for supporting your local rescue squad! 🚑💙

11/17/2025

❄️ Winter Weather Safety Tips from Pownal Rescue ❄️

As winter weather settles in, your safety is our priority! Here are some helpful reminders to keep you and your family safe during the cold months:

🌨️ General Safety
•Keep a 3–5 day supply of food, water, and medications.
•Charge phones and backup batteries in case of power outages.
•Check on elderly neighbors, family,friends, and pets!
•Dress in layers and limit time outdoors during extreme cold.

🧹 Snow Shoveling Tips
•Warm up before heading outside — cold muscles are more prone to injury.
•Push snow rather than lift when possible.
•If you must lift, use your legs and keep your back straight.
•Take frequent breaks and never ignore chest pain or shortness of breath.
•Stay hydrated — even in the cold, you can overexert yourself.

🚗 Winter Driving Safety
•Slow down and increase following distance.
•Keep your gas tank at least half full.
•Clear all snow/ice from your vehicle — roof, lights, mirrors, and windows.
•Carry an emergency kit: blanket, flashlight, water, snacks, and a phone charger.
•If roads are bad, avoid unnecessary travel.

🔥 Furnace & Home Heating Safety
•Have your furnace and chimneys inspected yearly.
•Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from heaters.
•Never use ovens or grills to heat your home.
•Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly.
•If using a generator, keep it outside, away from windows and vents.
•Keep exhaust vents clear of snow.

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

11/06/2025

✨ Food Drive Update! ✨

Today we were able to drop off donations from our food drive to Faith Church! A huge thank you to everyone who has supported this effort so far. Your generosity is truly making a difference.

We recognize that many families in our community are being affected by what’s happening right now, and we will continue to help in any way we can. With the holidays right around the corner, we’re excited to extend our Food Drive!

We managed to fill a good portion of our ambulance with donations today — and in the coming weeks, we’re hoping to fill the entire back of the ambulance!

We are collecting:
🛒 Non-perishable food items
🧴 Personal hygiene essentials
🐶 Dog food
🐱 Cat food

Let’s continue to come together and support our community. Every donation helps! ❤️🚑

10/30/2025

We have had a great response so far for drop-offs for the food drive! We are still collecting non-perishable items!! Drop your donation off today help support our community!

🥫 Pownal Rescue Food Drive! 🥫

We’re coming together to support our neighbors during the government shutdown, which has affected food assistance programs like SNAP across Vermont.

If you’re able, please consider donating canned goods, boxed foods, or other non-perishable items to help local families in need. ❤️
📍 Drop-off Location:
22 Ladd Road, Pownal, VT 05261
🕓 Anytime — there’s a donation box right out front!

Every item helps make a difference. Thank you for helping us support our community!

🥫 Pownal Rescue Food Drive! 🥫

We’re coming together to support our neighbors during the government shutdown, which has affected food assistance programs like SNAP across Vermont.

If you’re able, please consider donating canned goods, boxed foods, or other non-perishable items to help local families in need. ❤️

📍 Drop-off Location:
22 Ladd Road, Pownal, VT 05261
🕓 Anytime — there’s a donation box right out front!

Every item helps make a difference. Thank you for helping us support our community!