Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

Steve Loftin

PCS Member
Site Supporter
I guess there's nothing more "period correct" than watching old films of when the cars we love were actually being used.

Here's a great old film about the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. While other vehicles are shown, the "stars" are 1941 and 1950 Superior/Cadillacs:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D882Y5UEOR4[/ame]

Here are links to the BCCRS website...:

http://www.bccrs.org/

...and its history section:

http://www.bccrs.org/about/history.html
 
[Video] Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad Historical Video (circa1950's)

Worth watching!

Wisconsin 1000 was produced in 1950 post WWII by grant of the Department of State. It highlights the early history of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D882Y5UEOR4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D882Y5UEOR4[/ame]
 
Bethesda - Chevy Chase Rescue Squad 1950 Film

Don't know the year or manufacturer of the Cadillac ambulance in this cool "Rescue Squad" film. It was produced in 1950 and depicts the history of and need for volunteers for the Bethesda - Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D882Y5UEOR4[/ame]
 
rescue rig

Love the big cabover rescue truck too,... couple of similar vehicles came up for sale a little while back...the movie really highlights the volunteer rescue squads that evolved to meet the need and later were merged into fire and ems services,,,,
 
what you do get is a sense of period correct equipment. that alone makes it worth watching. I'm always amused by the production. you never see them lock the cot in place the two times you see them load and close the door they just shove it in the back the other the pt is backwards. but you do see the old values in play. they raised money locally to fund the department not farmed the taxpayers threw some back door program to fund a my coach is bigger then yours dept.
 
If you're not clear on this, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad still exists today in a very similar form. They still do their own door-to-door fundraising, and currently operate 7 ambulances and two heavy rescue squads. Though I'm not a member there, I have run calls on their units on many occasions.

Their phone number, which still ends in "-1000" is still in service. In Montgomery Co., MD you can call 911 and they are dispatched if they are closest, and if you live in Washington, DC, you get DC Fire & EMS if you call 911. But if you live in certain parts of DC, you can still call the ten-digit "-1000" number and get an emergency ambulance from BCCRS and many folks do.
 
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