On June 24, 1954, a group of citizens concerned about making their community a better place to live met and formed what was to become the Fort Mill Rescue Squad. They started out with very little other than the will and dedication to provide an appropriate rescue service for the Town of Fort Mill. At that time, emergency ambulance and rescue services as we know them were virtually non-existent. First-aid classes and other training were scheduled, and these citizens were taught the basic procedures to help save lives in emergency situations.

The Fort Mill Rescue Squad was officially incorporated on March 15, 1955. Equipment was obtained through local resources. A Chevrolet panel truck was purchased to carry equipment such as ropes, a cutting torch, and resuscitators to the scene of an emergency. Members also personally purchased first-aid kits at a cost of $1.65 each. Fund-raising functions such as stews, selling honorary member tickets, and other events were held to raise operating money and purchase other equipment for the squad. Additional items such as boats, motors, and life jackets were obtained to provide water rescue services. Several years later, a used Jeep was purchased to help pull the rescue boats to the river. New members were recruited as the community continued to support our efforts to grow.

The first ambulance the rescue squad owned was a converted 1970 Chevrolet Impala Station Wagon. This, along with a converted Ford van that replaced the wagon, provided a much needed improvement in ambulance service to the community. In the mid 1970's, new state regulations mandated that ambulances be built to exact specifications and licensed by the State of South Carolina. This is when modern EMS began to develop in our state and with our squad. Emergency ambulance calls continued to increase year after year putting a strain on resources. In 1985, a second ambulance was purchased, and in 1990 a third was added to handle the additional call volume. For example, in 1976, the rescue squad answered a total of 91 ambulance and rescue calls. The squad now responds to an average of almost 2,000 calls per year.

Demand for rescue services also continued to grow. Initially, the very basic tools such as block and tackles and cutting torches were the essential tools needed for rescue. The Chevrolet panel truck purchased initially in 1955 served us well into the mid 1970's when it was determined that a newer vehicle was needed to carry the squad's rescue tools to an accident scene. A 1977 Ford one-ton truck with a utility body was purchased to serve this role. A new hydraulic rescue tool, the Hurst "Jaws of Life", was purchased for about $6,000 to increase extrication capability of the squad. This tool is still in use today and is carried on our modern Heavy Rescue vehicle. Ongoing training in extrication techniques, patient removal, and unusual rescue situations continue to be practiced today. As needs dictated, we added more specialized tools. Some were donated, and some were purchased with available state grants or squad funds. In 1997, the Rescue Squad once again outgrew the capacity of the 1977 Ford rescue truck. We designed and purchased an Emergency Vehicles, Inc. Heavy Rescue on a Spartan Custom Cab 4-Door chassis. This vehicle carries the equipment and crew members to support trench rescue, water rescue (open and swift), search and rescue, rope rescue, and vehicle extrications.

In 2009, Fort Mill Rescue continued to grow when Tega Cay Rescue merged with Fort Mill Rescue. We now have 4 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances, 3 quick response vehicles, 1 rescue boat and our heavy rescue truck. We have also expanded our presence in Fort Mill by working with the Flint Hill Fire Department to have crew quarters and an office at their expanded Pleasant Road location. This station has become our second station and is currently staffed 12 hours a day, 365 days per year with an ALS crew. We continue to have our main station on S White Street in downtown Fort Mill that is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days per year with "at least" 1 ALS crew.