Salem Rescue Squad
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The Salem Rescue Squad was organized on the 15th of November,1932. In our third building now and mor
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201 S. Broad Street
Salem, VA
24153
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Where Salem Rescue Squad began
Our beginning over 85 years ago:
While the rest of the world was only wondering how to help their neighbors who may become injured or critically ill, two people were taking action. Lewis A. “Tootie” Ballard, Chief of Salem Fire Department and Minor Oakey, founder of Oakey’s Funeral Home sat in a red sedan across from the Salem Court House talking about the feasibility of a life saving crew for the town of Salem. It would be patterned after and very similar to the Roanoke Life Saving Crew, organized in 1928 by Julian Stanley Wise, and on November 15th, 1932 the Salem Life Saving Crew was established, with Minor Oakey serving as its first Chief.
Volunteers were recruited mostly from the Salem’s Fire, Police, and Street Departments and the Leas & McVitty Tannery. Weekly meetings were held on the second floor of the fire department and the few first aid supplies they had were kept in the back of that same, red sedan. Still, “patients” had to rely on private automobiles or the Roanoke Crew to transport them to the hospital.
