The all volunteer Rescue Squad was established in 1957.

At first, members used converted station wagons to transport the injured. Although the organization traditionally has shared the fire department's facilities, it is a separate entity and purchases its own ambulances and emergency equipment. The Rescue Squad receives public funding for gasoline and the maintenance of life-saving equipment.

Today James City County Fire Station #1 is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by a career staff consisting of three four person shifts and a volunteer membership made up of EMT's, Cardiac Techs and Paramedics. The station houses a large contingent of Fire and Rescue vehicles and responds to a first due area including Lightfoot, Toano, upper Bruton, and Lower New Kent county.

In March 1947 a group of local citizens interested in establishing a volunteer fire department met in the Norge Community Hall. Out of that meeting came companies of fire-fighters that were based in Toano, Ewell, Grove, Five Forks and Norge. Each company had a contact person to receive fire reports. The newly formed fire-department decided to keep its Model A chemical truck at E. C. ("Pop") Summers' garage in Ewell and to store a truck equipped with a tank, pumps and hoses in Toano.

In January 1948 the fire-fighters appointed G. E. Farthing, Z. O. Smith, and A. R. Lipton as special police to restrain onlookers at the scene of fires. The officers of the James City County Fire Department in 1950 were G. Maxwell Lanier, R. Kemper Taylor, and D. C. Renick. "Pop" Summers served as chief and Robert Piggott as assistant chief, with Willie Jacobson as captain.

During the 1950s, the Five Forks, Grove and Ewell fire companies constructed a station across from James Blair High School. Later, all three companies merged with the Williamsburg Fire Department and moved their equipment to the city station. The fire company located in Toano used as its fire house a two-story building next door to R. Kemper Taylor's garage. Garland Woody was elected fire chief and served ably for many years. In 1957 a new communications network allowed volunteer firemen to have home radio receivers to summon them to fires.

In time, it became tradition for the Board of Supervisors to purchase fire engines for the James City-Bruton Volunteer Fire Department. In 1965-1966, when the Toano school was razed, a modern fire station was built on the site. When it opened in 1967, the Board of Supervisors agreed to fund a paid fire-fighter who would summon the volunteers and assemble the preliminary equipment. Later, a paramedic and a second paid fire-fighter were hired so that someone would always be on hand. During the early 1960s a Ladies Auxiliary was formed to assist with fund raising, help maintain the fire station and provide food and coffee to fire-fighters on the job. One money-making activity for which the Auxiliary is famous is its bi-annual Fish Fry.

Today James City County Fire Station #1 is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by a career staff consisting of three four person shifts and a membership consisting of 55 active volunteer firefighters. The station houses a large contingent of Fire and Rescue vehicles and responds to a first due area including Lightfoot, Toano, upper Bruton, Lower New Kent.