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Our Mission

To deliver the most appropriate and timely prehospital emergency medical care and rescue services to the citizens of the community

Our Vision

To promote the general welfare of the borough of Kempsville and the City of Virginia Beach by maintaining an institutional platform of the highest caliber for volunteer activism in the mitigation of emergencies, for leadership development, and for community self-sufficiency

News

2012-04-06

With two of its ambulances already on duty, KVRS's other three ambulances, plus an extra zone car, were quickly staffed in the aftermath of the crash of a Navy fighter jet into an apartment complex in Rescue 14's district. But that's just a fragment of the whole picture. Citywide, Virginia Beach's volunteer-based EMS system ended up with 28 ambulances and 10 zone cars staffed, either at the crash site, or backfilling for other calls. No EMS mutual aid units were required from surrounding jurisdictions.

2012-02-11

It was our pleasure to host the VAVRS District 2 Meet today, and we hope all the participants had a good time. We particularly enjoyed seeing those of our peers who traveled long distances to get here, including members of the Stoney Creek, Brunswick, Greensville, Nansemond-Suffolk, and Windsor volunteer rescue squads.

2012-01-15

KVRS has won yet another 50% Virginia Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant to replace its oldest ambulance (920) with a new one. And again, we won a grant from the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation, this time for Verathon GlideScope intubation equipment.

2012-01-13

VB EMS Radio Traffic Internet Streams have now been made available, thanks in no small part to coordination and equipment contributions from KVRS.

2011-08-03

The follow-up mailout for our annual fund drive has reached area mailboxes. If you haven't had a chance to respond to our May mailout, we're depending on you to send a donation soon. Thanks!

2011-07-28

Our top 500 donors are receiving copies of the Rescue Lines newsletter in the coming week. Our hope is to keep members of our community apprised of how our system is performing and improving. If resources allowed, we'd be sending it to every mailbox in our entire service area, but 500 is what we have on hand at the moment.

2011-07-22

Our newest vehicle, another brand new 2010 Chevrolet G4500 Wheeled Coach Type III Standard Duty Ambulance, has been placed in service with the moniker "921". This purchase was made possible by a 50% Virginia Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant.

2011-07-07

Ouch! Ambulance 927 was involved in a collision today at an intersection while responding to a call using its lights, siren, and airhorn. Preliminary indications are that the crew was proceeding "with due regard" as required by law. One of our members suffered a minor injury, was seen at the hospital, and was discharged soon afterward. Another ambulance was dispatched to the original call. We, and the community, will be denied the use of this ambulance for quite a while. Please be attentive at all times when driving! Pull over and stop for us when you see us driving in emergency mode!

2011-07-01

KVRS has won a 50% Virginia Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant to replace two of its aging conventional stretchers. This will give us a mix of late-model conventional and powered stretchers.

2011-05-15

KVRS is shocked and saddened to learn of the death of one of its own members. Evan Collins, recently released as an EMT-B, was a skilled and caring provider, a fun partner and eager teammate, and an asset to his community. He was steadily building his EMS resume and seemed to have a promising career and plenty of friendships ahead of him. He has gone well before his time, and we sincerely miss him. KVRS extends its heartfelt sympathies to Evan's family and friends. Memorial pages are available here (grahamfh.frontrunnerpro.com) and here (facebook.com).

2011-02-21

The city has completed the renovation of the Stumpy Lake station at Pleasant Valley Road and Lynnhaven Parkway. KVRS has again quartered an ambulance and resumed satellite service there as "Rescue 19". Ambulance crews will still run out of the Woodstock station on Providence Road (as "Rescue 10") whenever staffing allows, and "Rescue 9" (the Kempsville station on Ruritan Court) will still serve as KVRS's primary operations base.

2011-01-20

KVRS responded to more than 21 calls per day (transporting more than 14 patients per day) in 2010, average.

2010-12-27

KVRS has won a 50% Virginia Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant to replace its oldest ambulance (921) with a new one. We also won a grant from the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation for another 12-lead cardiac defibrillator/monitor.

2010-11-21

We now have two powered stretchers in service. Thanks to grants from the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation, KVRS only paid 12.5¢ on the dollar for them!

Our Wish List

We rely on your donations!

Physio-Control LifePak 15

We need 2 at about $25,500 each

This very rugged, very expensive, and very advanced device allows our members to monitor a patient's pulse, breathing, blood pressure, and heart rhythym. This is the device that can shock dangerous heart rhythms back to normal. This model includes new features that will save even more lives.

There are full-featured and low-end variants of this device. We have three of the full-featured kind: Two from the City of Virginia Beach, and one that we won a grant for. On our 4th and 5th ambulances, we have the low-end variants. To best serve the community, we need the full-featured variants on every ambulance.

Verathon GlideScope

We need 5 at about $10,000 each

Sometimes we must insert a breathing tube into a patient's windpipe. We must be able to see the tube go through the patient's vocal cords, and that's not always easy to do with our own eyes. The GlideScope literally allows us to see around corners. The part of the tool that opens the patient's airway has a fiber-optic eye on its tip that transmits an image to an external display. Previously, this technology was only available to anesthesiologists in operating rooms. It makes a critical and tricky procedure faster, safer, and easier.

The City of Virginia Beach only has six of these devices available in the field for the entire city population. To best serve the community, we need one on every ambulance.

Stryker Power-Pro stretcher

We need 1 at about $11,500

Patients must be lifted, lifting can cause back injuries to EMTs, back injuries can be permanent, and permanent back injuries can end volunteer careers. It doesn't help that patients aren't getting any lighter. The electric-hydraulic stretcher shown here can save our backs and allow us to keep serving the community. These stretchers are also safer and more comfortable for the patient.

The City of Virginia Beach does not provide stretchers for us. We have two powered stretchers in service thanks to a grant, but to best serve the community, we have a goal to acquire at least one more.