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Written by Capt. Erick Myers
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Tuesday, 23 August 2005 |
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE VMSC
In October of 1944, the corps revised its Articles of Incorporation and adopted the corporate name used to this day- The Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale. With the change in name, the corps moved from being a paramilitary organization to one devoted exclusively to emergency medical care and rescue services of the residents of the greater Lansdale region.
Up to 1986, all staffing of ambulance and rescue calls came from Volunteers. However, as the region's population grew the annual volume of calls began to overtax available volunteers. The need for supplemental staffing by career Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, and office staff. The career staff works in tandem with almost another 100 volunteers to staff the ambulances and various specialized rescue vehicles that form the Corps' fleet.
The Corps fleet is made up of 9 ALS Ambulances, 3 Rescue vehicles, 1 Marine unit, 3 Command vehicles, 1 Special Service, 6 ALS/BLS Mountain bikes, and 1 Montgomery County MCI Trailer. The Corps staffs 3 stations with ALS coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE CORPS CREST??
The insignia of the Corps was designed by Dr. Boston, assisted by Mr. Herbert Ruthrauff, Sr. an artist. The VMSC crest is a white shield superimposed on a caduceus, the wings and heads of the serpents extending above the top of the shield and the bottom of the staff the tails of the serpents below the shield. The shield is edged with blue and gold, the colors of the state of PA. It is divided into three fields by a green chevron with its point upward, green being the color for marking medical installations, for instance, the broad green stripe around hospital ships. In the upper left field is a gold Maltese Cross, in the upper right a Fleur-de-Lis, the insignia of scouting and placed as a tribute to the Boy Scouts of America. In the lower field is the Geneva Red Cross. This was changed in 2001 due to "Copyright" laws with the American Red Cross. The crest now bears a Gold cross in the bottom field. Across the bottom of the crest is a scroll with the motto of the VMSC in gold letters, "Loyalty, Mercy, and Humanity".
 Business Phone: 215-855-3779Emergencies Only: Dial 911
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 January 2008 )
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