Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (BCCRS)

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (BCCRS) is a community-supported non-profit organization that is a member department of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) and provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Maryland area. The BCCRS responds to more than 8,000 calls for 911 assistance per year with150professionally trained volunteers and 31 paid emergency response personnel. The BCCRS is recognized as one of the leaders within Montgomery County in training, deploying and providing a well-rounded experience for all volunteer member. The BCCRS and MCFRS are leaders in providing compassionate and technically competent life-saving services to the community. The BCCRS appropriately refers to volunteering in fire, rescue and EMS as the experience of a lifetime.

Members of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (BCCRS) participate in all the activities needed to manage and operate a busy fire and rescue station. Most commonly, volunteers receive training to become Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics and Firefighters. The MCFRS allows both Firefighter/EMTs and EMT only members. Soon after joining, new members begin an internship and training process to fully qualify them to ride in charge of an EMS unit. Learning firefighter techniques and technical rescue is also encouraged. All training is done under the Montgomery County Integrated Emergency Command Structure (IECS) standards that govern all MCFRS personnel. Meeting these standards graduates a new member to becoming part of the cadre of professionally trained volunteer and paid employees that operate BCCRS. All members have basic duty requirements based on an assigned night crew once per week. On this duty night, a new member will receive supervisory direction and mentorship from other on-duty volunteer personnel while responding to emergency calls in an observer/helper role.

We also offer a volunteer Junior Member Program for high school Juniors that are at least 16 years of age. This program provides free EMS and fire/rescue training to become a certified EMT and firefighter. SSL credit can be submitted for volunteer hours.