Riverside Changed to Catawba Rescue Squad 
The Catawba Rescue Squad was founded in 1963 as the Riverside Rescue Squad, and changed its name to Catawba Rescue Squad, Inc. in 1970.
It was founded by 12 Catawba area men who recognized the need for extended coverage of eastern Catawba County, as response times for the initial ambulance services were too long.
The Catawba Rescue Squad's original vehicles were a converted station wagon, which served as an ambulance, an old panel truck, which served as a crash truck, and a Dixie boat used for lake rescue.
The Squad also
has a junior program which was started in 2000 with 10 members. This
was done to give young adults who were interested in rescue/medical
type work an opportunity to experience this field of work through
training and attendance at the squad.
The Catawba
Rescue Squad originally served an area from NC Hwy 10 East and Bethany
Church Road north to the Catawba and Iredell county lines. The creation
of the Sherrills Ford Rescue Squad reduced the coverage area of the
Catawba Rescue Squad in the eastern part of Catawba county.
Catawba Rescue
now owns eight emergency vehicles including: A modular Type I ambulance, a Freightliner Crash/Rescue truck, which is classified as Medium Rescue, a Chevrolet 1-ton 4X4 crash truck which is equipped for off-road duty if needed, a Ford Crown Victoria which is used for a QRV unit (quick response vehicle), a 17ft. fiberglass boat and trailer for water rescue operations, and just recently we have aquired a new Chevrolet 3/4-ton 4X4 pickup for use as a utility vehicle, such as hauling additional equipment to calls or pulling the boats for water rescue operations, and a Chevrolet Suburban used for member transport to training exercises, but also serves as additional QRV. The Squad has recently aquired a Zodiak swift-water rescue raft which is available to other squads.
The Squad was originally housed in an old converted service station located in downtown Catawba, and this facility was home to the Squad until 1975 when a new larger building was constructed where the Squad presently resides. This building was built mainly by members of the Squad and was remodeled again in 1988 to add a bay to house the water rescue boat and increase the size of the meeting room.
In late
2007 Catawba Rescue Squad's newest addition was completed. A six bay
storage building now houses several of Catawba Rescue's vehicles. It
also provides additional room for training if needed.
Catawba Rescue now employees a full time EMT from 8am-4pm Monday through Friday who maintains the equipment and the building while also responding to emergency medical calls. Catawba Rescue is also manned by other members of the squad on Saturday from 8am-4pm. The hours that the building is not manned, the Squad depends completely on it's volunteers to respond to calls. The squad also depends on it's volunteers to respond as additional manpower to calls during the regular business hours even when the building is manned.
One third of the Squad's budget is raised by members through community picture opportunities. The larger amount comes as a subsidiary allotment from Catawba County. The Catawba Rescue Squad is a non-profit volunteer organization with 19 members, 18 of who are certified N.C. Emergency Medical Technicians, and N.C. certified Emergency Rescue Technicians, now called Rescue Technicians. Many are qualified to serve as instructors in a number of areas. they answer about 600 calls annually. The Squad now has a certified swift water rescue team.
The Catawba Rescue Squad holds regular business meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm at the squad base. Their EMS continuing education in-service training is held on the third Wednesday night of each month from 7:00pm until 10:00pm at the squad base and other facilities as necessary.