In the foothills of the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains a volunteer rescue squad must contend not only with the stressful situations of their work but also the evil corruption of the County leadership. While removing friends and family from the wreckage of automobile accidents they stumble into a money-laundering scheme involving the Gambino crime family. As in real life, this tale is a mixture of humor and tragedy. Ultimately there is a violent resolution but then, “violence is as American as apple pie.”

Over several centuries the ambulance has evolved from horse-drawn wagons designed to remove wounded soldiers from the battlefield into high-speed emergency rooms on wheels, staffed by skilled professionals. This thorough history follows the ambulance through every phase, focusing not just on the vehicles but on their role within the developing medical systems they served, as well as the political, social and economic influences that have shaped their advancement. Topics include the critical role of police ambulances in the development of the first emergency medical services, the history of the ambulance intern, breakthroughs in ambulance design and function from the horse-drawn days to the present, notable women in ambulance development, and a fresh look at the first organized paramedic services. More than 275 photographs and other illustrations accompany the text.

"A rescue squad saves a girl and her dog from their crashed sailboat during a storm"--