HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-17-2011- 4bORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: May 17, 2011
Action Agenda
Item No. 4 _ b
SUBJECT: Proclamation Designating June 4, 2011 as South Orange Rescue Squad Day
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Clerk's Office, 245-2130
PURPOSE: To approve a proclamation recognizing South Orange Rescue Squad's 40tH
Anniversary and designating June 4, .2011 as South Orange Rescue Squad Day in Orange
County.
BACKGROUND: In 1968, the Orange County Rescue Squad in Hillsborough was formed and
emergency medical services and ambulance transport began in Hillsborough. Early in 1971,
members of the business community in Carrboro and Chapel Hill and volunteers from the
Carrboro Fire Department met to address the issue of supplying emergency medical services and
ambulance transport for the rest of the County. As a result of that meeting, and with a gift of an
ambulance from Orange County Rescue Squad, the South Orange Rescue Squad was formed on
June 4, 1971. Funds were donated, a building was built on land donated by Mr. Edward Yaggy,
and the organization began and continues to provide emergency medical services to the Orange
County community. In 1991, the Squad began to provide rescue services, and in 1992 began
providing technical rescue services to the residents of Orange County and surrounding areas.
For more than 40 years, the South Orange Rescue Squad has provided countless hours of training
for thousands of volunteers and residents and has engaged in countless hours of specialized
training and continuing education to enhance life-saving skills.
On June 4, 2011, the South Orange Rescue Squad will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. A
proclamation recognizing the Squad on its 40th anniversary, as well as designating June 4, 2011
as South Orange Rescue Squad Day in Orange County, is attached for Board consideration.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the
proclamation.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the
Chair to sign the proclamation and direct the Clerk to the Board to forward the proclamation to the
South Orange Rescue Squad.
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 2
PROCLAMATION
South Orange Rescue Squad Day -June 4, 2011
WHEREAS, emergency medical services (EMS) is a vital public service; and
WHEREAS, technical rescue is a vital public service; and
WHEREAS, South Orange Rescue Squad is made up of volunteers who provide these
vital public services to the residents of Orange County with no compensation to
themselves; and
WHEREAS, before the founding of South Orange Rescue Squad, transportation from
southern Orange County to a hospital was provided by the Chapel Hill Funeral Home;
and
WHEREAS, members of the Carrboro Fire Department and residents of Carrboro and
Chapel Hill joined together to form the South Orange Rescue Squad in 1971; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Rescue Squad located in Hillsborough donated the first
ambulance to the South Orange Rescue Squad in 1971; and
WHEREAS, the land for South Orange Reseue Squad's building was donated by Edward
Yaggy and the bricks for the building came from Mr. Yaggy's mill on the adjacent
property; and
WHEREAS, the people of Chapel Hill and Carrboro donated the money to build South
Orange Rescue Squad's station which was completed in 1974; and
WHEREAS, the volunteers of South Orange Rescue Squad have been serving the Orange
County public and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by providing EMS
since the first week of June 1971; and
WHEREAS, the volunteers of South Orange Rescue Squad began providing rescue
services to the residents of Orange County and surrounding areas in 1991 and technical
rescue services in 1992; and
WHEREAS, South Orange Rescue Squad has trained more than one thousand volunteers
over the past 40 years, many of whom have dedicated their careers to public safety and
providing medical care to the residents of North Carolina; and
WHEREAS, since 1971 the volunteers of South Orange Rescue Squad have engaged in
countless hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their life-
saving skills; and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to recognize and appreciate the value and accomplishments
of the 40 years of service of South Orange Rescue Squad;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Orange County Board of
Commissioners, do hereby proclaim June 4, 2011 as South Orange Rescue Squad Day in
recognition of the Squad's 40th anniversary of service to the Orange County community.
This the 17th day of May 2011.
Bernadette Pelissier, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners