The story of the city of Pine Knoll
Shores is to a great extent a story of volunteerism, and that spirit of volunteerism
among residents is dramatically evident in the formation of an all-volunteer
Emergency Rescue Squad, which was conceived as early as 1975 and functioned
into the first years of the 21st century. It came to be known as Squad
#65.
Squad #65’s history and that of the
Fire Department proceed in parallel to some extent, but before and after Pine
Knoll Shores had its own professional Fire Department there was the volunteer Emergency
Rescue Squad. Most of the following comes past Shoreline issues with additional comments from former members of Squad #65.
Background
By 1974, Pine Knoll Shores had a small Police Department with three policemen under the supervision of Police Commissioner Howard Overman, but in January 1975, entered into a partnership with Atlantic Beach for additional police assistance when needed. At the time, the eastern part of Pine Knoll Shores was receiving fire and rescue services from Atlantic Beach, and the remainder of Pine Knoll Shores from Bogue Banks Fire and Rescue Squad in Salter Path.
In the fall of 1975, a proposal to expand the partnership with Atlantic Beach to include fire and rescue services for all of Pine Knoll Shores was on the ballot and passed. Atlantic Beach also expressed a willingness to equip a firehouse substation in Pine Knoll Shores should the town erect a building some time in the future. With this new fire and rescue contract in place, Pine Knoll Shores Board of Commissioners in January 1976 appointed a Committee on Fire Protection and Rescue to study the feasibility of building a new town hall with a fire station.
The following year, a referendum for the facility was on the ballot. Several months before the municipal-center referendum, commissioners proposed $375,000 in bonds underwritten by the Federal Housing Administration and divided to cover construction, equipment and “a pumper.” The town had a matching grant from the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources to equip “a surplus army vehicle” for fire and rescue purposes.
In August 1977, the referendum for Pine Knoll Shores to have a new town hall with a fire station passed. In May 1979, that building became a reality. (See above photo.)
Early Discussion of a Volunteer Rescue
Squad
The idea of forming volunteer fire and rescue squads came up at the August 1975 hearing on the partnership with Atlantic Beach, but in the discussion, fire fighting was stated essentially to be a “young man’s job,” and the majority of Pine Knoll Shores residents were over 50, 30% being over 60.
In September 1976, the Committee on Fire Protection and Rescue Squads proposed the following:
Pine Knoll Shores take over its own fire and rescue work at such time as the town has a municipal center, fire and rescue equipment and a trained volunteer staff… that would include 25 men between 20 and 35 years of age, and more than 80 from the retired group.
A grant to purchase a rescue vehicle was, in fact, dependent upon the town’s having “a trained rescue squad made up of certified Emergency Medical Technicians or Ambulance Attendants.”
A few residents already qualified, and more were in the process of getting certified. The September 1976 Shore Lineconfirmed that fact, stating, “current rescue squad training” could be expanded to include new volunteers. The December 1976 issue of the Shore Line called for more fire and rescue volunteers in preparation for the 1977 referendum so a list of potential volunteers could be provided when the proposal came up for a vote.
Volunteer Rescue Squad Organizes
In 1978, plans for fire and rescue equipment and for having trained volunteers to use the equipment progressed rapidly, and Pine Knoll Shores’ first volunteer Rescue Squad with Ken Doremus as squad leader was officially in place with 12 EMTs and nine ambulance drivers (also with EMT training) divided into teams of four. Two drivers and two EMTs were on duty for “at least four 48-hour shifts per month.” There would be a steady need for additional trained volunteers.
Former Commissioner and History Committee Member Ted Lindblad, who became a member of the volunteer Rescue Squad when Teddy Wimberly was chief, says, “...whenever the fire department was called out, EMS always responded as well to be available in case any of the firemen might be injured. The squad also provided back up for both Atlantic Beach and Salter Path/Indian Beach whenever they were either busy on other calls or could not respond for any other reason.”
In 1979, seven new EMT volunteers with 36 hours of training became certified ambulance drivers “with assigned positions,” and there was “an urgent call for other volunteers to take the EMT course. Six volunteers were trained to direct traffic in case of fire or other emergency. To further support the town’s emergency capabilities, an emergency electrical system was installed in the new municipal building to “furnish power to light the fire and rescue bay, the emergency headquarters overlooking the garage, the gasoline pumps, the police station and sufficient wall sockets to charge walkie-talkies and beepers.” The back-up system included a 3,000-watt gasoline-powered generator with “appropriate switching gear.”
By 1980, 38 residents were on the Rescue Squad—all volunteers who went through extensive training to be certified. Twenty were EMTs, and 18 were either ambulance drivers or “communications people.” All stood ready to assist “their friends and neighbors in the time of distress on an around-the-clock basis.” The paper carried stories of their “rescues.” One story by Mayor Haller that pointed out the town’s “reliance on the Volunteer Rescue Squad and its trained personnel” involved Commissioner Ratliffe, who had fallen ill at the Country Club. “Volunteer EMTs rendered on-the-spot assistance” and drove him to the emergency room. After a week’s hospital stay, he fully recovered. Haller noted the ongoing need for volunteers both to increase the squad’s capability and to replace those who were leaving.
Strength of Rescue Squad
In 1981, commissioners officially designated Fire and Rescue as departments “to be operated under the Board of Commissioners.” The new chief of police, it was suggested, could become the new fire chief. Two years later, commissioners proposed buying not only a new fire truck but also a new ambulance to increase rescue capabilities.
Pine Knoll Shores was proud of its volunteer Rescue Squad’s response time and size. It was one of the largest in the county. To ensure Squad members would be available when an emergency arose, Pine Knoll Shores EMS volunteers, unlike other county rescue squads, divided members into teams and gave each a fixed schedule. In March 1984, Mayor Ken Haller published a letter to recruit 15 new candidates to enroll in an EMT course. His notice indicated that since 1978 the town had counted on fire and rescue volunteers.
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| Libby Schlimmer and Corinne Meer Washing Amulance |
The volunteer EMT program, which came to be known as Squad
#65, was not a loose group of volunteers, but a tightly structured organization
with by-laws, strict procedures, officers elected by members and forms that
members were required to fill out for every call. Squad #65 was going strong in the 1990s.
Grants for new equipment—ambulance and fire trucks —were in the news as were
training events, new recruits, monthly meetings and social get-togethers.
Throughout the last decade of the 20thcentury, Pine Knoll Shores would continue to rely on the all-volunteer Squad #65, which had regular meetings on the first and third Mondays every month at 7 p.m., and a regular column in The Shoreline—in many cases submitted by long-time Squad member Maureen Danehy. Periodically, The Shorelinewould run notices that the Rescue Squad was in need of new volunteers willing to be trained as EMTs or ambulance drivers.
To speed up response time, Pine Knoll Shores’ on-duty ambulance drivers kept the ambulance at home. When my husband and I moved to Beacon’s Reach in May 1996, we were surprised to see the town’s ambulance parked at a neighbor’s home. Those neighbors were Andy and Marilyn Smetana— both were active members of Squad #65 and had each served a time as chief.
Hiring a Director of Emergency
Services
As the new century began, Reese Musgrave was re-elected by the board as mayor. On the Board of Commissioners were Carl Heffelfinger, Emily White, Robert Gallo, Ted Goetzinger and Wade Lamson, who in July 2000 was replaced by James Hunter. The Pine Knoll Shores Police Department had eight members; Mary Muhlig was police chief. Squad #65 had a new chief, Ted Lindblad. Andy Smetana was assistant chief. The Squad’s regular column in The Shoreline, featured health-related tips. Pine Knoll Shores Fire Department, which had its own team of volunteer fire fighters, ran a large ad for volunteers, noting that training would be provided for positions “of all levels of capability.”
At the July 2000 meeting of the Board of Commissioners emerged the announcement that the town would be hiring an Emergency Services Director, who would “assist and coordinate the administrative and legal responsibilities of the three volunteer department heads.” The announcement, appearing in the August 2000 issue of The Shoreline, went on to state: “This position will replace no volunteer. This individual will be a professional experienced in the areas of EMS, Emergency Management, and Fire.” Also in the August 2000 edition of The Shorelinecame an urgent request from EMS Squad #65 for volunteers: “If there is no meaningfulresponse to this plea, our volunteer squad as we know it could cease to exist.”
Thirty-two individuals applied for the Emergency Services Director position. In 2001, Donald Melby got the job.
In January 2001, Andy Smetana replaced Ted Lindblad as chief of Squad #65. The Squad’s March 2001 column reminded residents that all EMS Squad volunteers have to pass state written and practical exams to be certified, must then each year take continuing education courses, and every four years pass another state practical skills exam.
On July 31, “in the midst of much change and readjustment” since the town hired an Emergency Services Director, Andy and Marilyn Smetana resigned from volunteer EMS service on Squad #65, as did Norm and Kathy Trommer, who had served for ten years. Ted Lindblad once again became chief, replacing Andy. But, by the end of 2001, Andy’s spirit of community service and commitment to the volunteer EMS team made him return as a member of Squad #65.
The year before, the county had proposed reinstating its expanded countywide EMS coverage. Squad #65 joined Pine Knoll Shores’ commissioners in objecting to the proposal. There was no implementation of this countywide plan in Pine Knoll Shores.
2002: The Beginning of the End for Squad
#65
As the year began with extensive beach re-nourishment underway, the town had a slightly changed Board of Commissioners: Bob Gallo, Jim Hunter, Mary Kanyha, Evan Roderick and Emily White with Reese Musgrave remaining as mayor. Bob Gallo was mayor-pro tem. Don Melby was still the director of emergency services. There were 14 members on the volunteer EMS Squad, putting in well over 1,000 active-duty hours on a monthly basis.
The town announced it would begin offering an annual stipend of $50 with an additional $10 per call for EMS responders and $15 per call for fire responders. This was in addition to existing benefits listed in great detail by Don Melby in the March 2002 Shoreline: workers compensation; free membership to the Morehead City Sports Center; free annual physicals, blood work and lab reports; free stress test and exercise programs; State of North Carolina Firemen’s Association full in-line-of-duty death benefits; NC Association of Rescue and EMS benefits; discounted premiums for insurance in addition to other discounts. He emphasized that all the EMS and fire equipment was provided by the town, how grateful the town was for its volunteers, and that “All volunteers take direction from the Emergency Services Director.”
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| Don Melby on right, Gene Sagmiller on left at the new Public Safety Building |
All this information came a month after The Shoreline announcement from Don Melby that the town was considering architectural plans for a new stand-alone Public Safety Building to house its Emergency Management Services, Police Department and Fire and EMS Department—plans that were approved in March 2002. Also signaling greater changes, the Board of Commissioners, in February 2002, had changed the Fire Department’s bylaws so that “...membership will not be restricted to Pine Knoll Shores residents.”
The End of Squad #65
Problems between the town and Squad #65 became public in the Carteret News Times. The April 2002 Shoreline confirmed dissatisfaction within Squad #65 since the hiring of an Emergency Services Manager. A long Shoreline letter from Pine Knoll Shores Board of Commissioners addressed “the current EMS controversy.” After assuring residents of the town’s appreciation of and commitment to its volunteers, commissioners made a case for change:
We are all getting older, volunteers are scarce, demands are greater, more sophisticated services are now necessary, and legal liabilities continue to grow. These are FACTS. The performance of follow-up care is always valued and appreciated. However, getting immediate critical care from qualified professionals is the issue. How that is done in the best possible way is what we all should be concentrating upon—not “Who’s in charge.”
Then, in the May Shoreline, amidst plans for a “Beach Renourishment Celebration,” came the sad news that on April 6, Mayor Reese Musgrave had died. Robert Gallo was appointed mayor to fill Musgrave’s unexpired term. Commissioner Jim Hunter became mayor pro tem. Also came news of “economic pressures facing the Town”—a prelude to other changes.
In June 2002 came an announcement that residents would no longer be receiving The Shoreline, which since 1997 had been fully managed by the town with articles submitted by volunteers. Since The Shoreline did not resume until 2004, there was no Shoreline article on the end of Squad #65.
However, the town continued for a few months to print a “Bulletin Board” notice and encouraged readers to go to the town’s website, which had been launched in July 2001, and to the Island Review, which had started to print articles from the PKS mayor and town commissioners. So, though there was no farewell article in The Shoreline, we know from an article by Commissioner Mary Kanyha that Squad #65 disbanded in 2002. Don Melby remained in place as Emergency Services Director until 2004, and EMS became part of the Fire Department while plans proceeded for moving fire, EMS and police departments to a remodeled Wachovia building near Bogue Banks Library.
Kanyha’s article also indicated there were still three fire/EMT volunteers working with the Fire Department. She encouraged others to volunteer. Although, there would be no resurrection of the independent Squad #65, Pine Knoll Shores’ firefighters were known as Squad #64 and its EMS as Squad #65 for some time.
In December 2003, recently elected Mayor Joan Lamson
dedicated the new Public Safety Building
Conclusion
As a town that still values volunteerism, we do not want to forget the many energetic men and women who served as EMS volunteers on call 24-7. They rescued so many in need. I wish we could print all the volunteers’ names, but there were so many, and we do not have existing rosters back as far as 1978. Let me just honor two of those whom Ted LIndblad indicated served the longest—Lois Heffelfinger, nearly 20 years, and Teddy Wimberly, over 15 years. When the all-volunteer Squad #65 disbanded, Teddy stayed on as an EMS volunteer for quite awhile. To all who served, we say, “Thank you, Squad #65.”
Post Author: Phyllis Makuck
To
contact the author or the History Committee