Frequently Asked Questions
Did you not find your question listed? Contact Arika, HRS’s administrative assistant, by email (conleya@harrisonburgrescue.org) or by phone at 540-434-1046 weekdays from 8am-4:30pm.
Do you have questions regarding membership? Email the membership committee (membership@harrisonburgrescue.org) and a member will be in contact with you as soon as possible.
Q. How many hours per month are required to volunteer for HRS?
Members must donate 24-36 hours per month depending on their membership. Details on each membership type’s requirements can be found on the Membership page.
Q. Can I volunteer even though I’m not an EMT?
Absolutely! HRS does not require current EMT certification in order to apply. HRS only requires current CPR and AED certification with adult, child, and infant components. There is also Driving membership and Administrative membership for those who want to volunteer but do not wish to provide direct patient care.
Q. Do I have to have any prior EMS or healthcare experience?
No previous experience or training is necessary. Only an active CPR and AED certification with adult, child, and infant components is required of all of our members, with training provided or made available to members.
Q. Is there a way I can volunteer that doesn’t involve patient care?
Driving membership and Administrative membership are available for individuals who are not interested in providing direct patient care.
Q. Will HRS assist me to become an EMT?
HRS has types of tuition reimbursement or assistance available for members on a case-by-case basis. HRS also offers the use of HRS owned training vehicles so that members can commute to and from classes without use of their personal vehicles.
Q. When are EMT classes held?
HRS attempts to have courses for members as often as possible. Courses held at the agency are first announced to current members before being opened to the public. EMT course announcements elsewhere in the area may be announced on the Central Shenandoah EMS Council’s website. All EMS courses are also registered on the Virginia Office of EMS’s website as well.
Q. Do you provide driver training?
Yes. HRS offers Emergency Vehicle Operator Certification (EVOC) courses in-house and free-of-charge to members.
Q. Do I have to run duty over the summer months when school is not in session?
Membership duties are required for each month of the year, including summer and winter months when high schools and universities are on break. Many members group their shifts together and run their monthly duties in the span of a week or less though to meet their monthly requirement.
Q. How does the schedule work?
HRS operates by a self-scheduling system for 6 and 12 hour shifts at a time. Scheduling for most members is done for either 6 shifts or 36 hours per month (whichever comes first). Members mix and match shifts to meet the 6 shifts or 36 hour commitment per their membership category.
Q. Will I be paid at HRS?
HRS is a 100% volunteer-run EMS organization; no member receives stipends and no member is paid.