MADRID – The Madrid Rescue Squad finds itself in need of new qualified members.

A year and a half ago, said Squad Chief Dick McDougall, “we had about 12 members. Now we have two drivers, two EMTs and myself as an advanced EMT and critical care technician.

“Both Craig Ballard, one of our drivers, and I are retired and 71 years old. The other driver, a school teacher, has been with us for 17 years. They were both EMTs before but they gave up their certification,” which requires continuing education and tests to stay current.

“Right now, the volunteers need your help to continue their round-the-clock care in your community,” McDougall said in an announcement to people in the Madrid area.

The reasons for the decline in their numbers sound familiar as many volunteer first responder agencies have found their memberships dwindling in recent years.

“It’s a case of people not having the time,” McDougall said. “Young people will come in but won’t have the time to spend on training, or they’re moving out of the community.”

Being a small community means fewer calls. “We’re small, but these calls come in at all times,” he said.

With the 175 to 200 calls the squad gets a year, lately “sometimes it’s more than we can keep up with,” he said.

“We’ve become pretty dependent on mutual aid,” McDougall said. They have called on units from Potsdam, Canton, Norfolk, Massena, Waddington and Parishville, and Madrid has responded in kind when called on. “That’s the grace of mutual aid. We haven’t had bad luck with mutual aid.”

A volunteer must be at least 18 years old, a resident of Madrid, and willing to become an Emergency Medical Technician.

That last requirement seems to be a stumbling block for some.

“We need people to take the Basic EMT course,” McDougall said, which requires “100 and some hours. They will have to take classes two or three times a week at Canton College” to earn their certification. It’s demanding but rewarding, McDougall said.

Anyone interested in taking up the challenge is encouraged to call McDougall at 322-5682.