The squad was originally named the Bensley Volunteer Rescue Squad. It was founded by a group of concerned citizens in 1954.
A charter was granted on August 3, 1954, and actual operations began on October 1, 1954. The squad was composed of both men and women who were trained in American Red Cross® Standard and Advanced First Aid.
The original ambulance was a used 1948 Packard purchased from the Henrico Volunteer Rescue Squad. The base of operations was in the Bensley Volunteer Fire Department, est. 1948, located on Wentworth Street in a development known as Bensley Village just south of the Richmond city limits.
 
