After 49 years of service to Virginia Beach EMS, starting as a volunteer with Ocean Park Rescue Squad in 1967, EMS Chief Bruce W. Edwards retired on March 1, 2016.
He has seen the city’s EMS system go through many changes as it grew from around 8,000 calls per year when he became director in 1984 to nearly 44,000 today. Edwards is known to have the most tenure of any CPR instructor, paramedic and administrator in the state, and we are fortunate to have been under his leadership for so many years.
Deputy Chief William (“Bill”) Kiley, who dedicated 35 years of service to Virginia Beach EMS, retired on May 1, 2016. Kiley, who began as a member of VBVRS, became Deputy Chief in 1996 and is credited with creating the Air Search & Rescue, Marine Rescue, Bike Medic, SWAT Medic and Anti-terrorism and Disaster Preparedness programs, along with the city’s first Medical Critical Care Air Ambulance Service. Both Edwards and Kiley plan to continuing running rescue as volunteer paramedics.
Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad recently honored two retiring members who have each served more than 30 years: David Whitley and Charlie Gurley, who is transitioning from an operational to administrative volunteer. Their service was recognized with “send-offs” read by dispatchers over the radio.