By the '80s, the population of Virginia Beach had grown to more than 260,000. The oceanfront was busier than ever, and many local residents complained about a loss of community spirit. The rescue squad was answering more than 7,000 calls a year, and its 48 active members were having difficulty keeping up with the demand for service. For the first time, the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad (and the City's 10 other squads) faced a serious crisis -- the demand for service was rising rapidly, just as squad membership was falling dramatically.

The fire service had been all-volunteer, too. It had faced the same problems that beset the rescue squads. After fire volunteers were unable to muster personnel to fight a daytime fire at a Kempsville grocery and a Witchduck department store, the city hired firemen to provide firefighting services. The Virginia Beach Rescue Squad was determined to avoid the same fate.

In March of 1988, the squad launched the first-ever volunteer recruitment campaign. Full page ads were taken in The Beacon and five donated billboards urged prospective members to join -- to experience the excitement and compassion to be found in volunteer rescue work. The campaign was a huge success. From March until the end of the year, the squads received 372 inquires -- nearly double the number from the previous year. Citywide, squad membership increased from 410 in 1987 to 650 in May of 1989. In short, the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad's recruitment initiative saved Virginia Beach's faltering volunteer system from extinction.

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