+ DONATE • FREE CPR/STB • RIDE WITH US • JOIN US National Preparedness Month Welcome to National Preparedness Month! Sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Preparedness Month was created to spread awareness of natural disasters, how to plan for them, and how to survive them. During the month of September, the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad will post information gathered from www.ready.gov/september and other such sites and present it to you in a way that makes it easy to comprehend. We’ll be covering general emergency preparedness, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires. Make a Plan for Yourself, Family and Friends Plan to Help Your Neighbor and Community Practice and Build Out Your Plans Get Involved! Be a Part of Something Larger

+ DONATE • FREE CPR/STB • RIDE WITH US • JOIN US Ride Along Experience what it’s like to be part of our duty crew. Due to COVID-19, all observer shifts are suspended until further notice. Want to see what it feels like to hear the tones go off at the station? Join us for a ride-along and you’ll know what it’s like to jump into an ambulance and drive “lights and sirens” to a call. And to make a real difference in someone’s day. You can experience all of this and more when you sign up to be an Observer on our crew. Approval to ride as an observer must be obtained at least 24 hours in advance. There are some rules you’ll have to follow for protection and discretion, and we’ve included those below. We’re looking forward to seeing you! Observer Requirements: Observers must be at least 18 years old. Observers must be neatly attired, have on closed-toed shoes (i.e. no sandals, flip flops, etc.), and wear a collared shirt or blouse and dark or khaki trousers/shorts. Jeans, t-shirts with messages or advertising, ball caps, etc. are prohibited. The “Observer Badge” must be worn and clearly visible at all times. Except when patient care dictates, the observer cannot ride in the front cab seat. The observer cannot render patient care, talk on the radio, drive an EMS vehicle, help lift or move the patient, or participate in any activities, other than observing. AICs will instruct observers in safety procedures, including the use of street safety vests. AICs will advise observers that any patient information they learn must be kept confidential; no photography of any sort is permitted. If necessary, the AIC, Squad Officer or higher EMS Officer may remove the observer from the rescue vehicle and terminate the observation. Observer Scheduling and Approval Procedures: To schedule an Observer duty, click the “Request” button and fill out the form. Our Captain of Administration will then be in touch with you. Remember, approval to ride as an observer must be obtained at least 24 hours in advance. For more, watch this video about what you can expect as an observer.