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Volunteer Box 55 group asks council for a permanent home, outlines rehab support for first responders
Summary
Box 55, a volunteer nonprofit that provides on-scene rehabilitation for first responders, told the Public Health & Safety Committee it served 382 incidents in 2024, runs on donations and payroll deductions, and is seeking a modest facility (garage bays and a 40–50 person meeting room) from Metro to store vehicles and supplies.
District Chief Mark Young introduced Box 55 to the Metropolitan Nashville Public Health & Safety Committee and described the group as a longstanding volunteer organization that provides on‑scene rehabilitation for first responders.
Box 55 representatives told the committee the group was founded in 1952, operates as a 501(c)(3) and currently lists about 40 volunteers. In 2024 Box 55 said it provided 382 incident responses, including fire scenes, hazardous material responses, active‑shooter and hostage events, motor vehicle crashes and the 2020 bombing response where volunteers worked around the clock.
Box 55 volunteers said the group pairs with EMS: they cool or warm responders, supply hydration and snacks, set up chairs and tents, provide packaged wipes intended to reduce carcinogen exposure, and perform other nonmedical support tasks. The presentation noted NFPA standard 1584 requires fire departments to provide rehabilitation services on scenes.
Committee members asked how the city could help. Box 55 representatives said their main needs are a dedicated building with a couple of garage‑style bays sized for sprinter vans, storage for water and supplies, and a meeting room that could display awards and hold 40–50 people. They said the group currently operates two outfitted vans (2016 and 2020 Freightliner Sprinter conversions), carries two tents and cooling/heating equipment, and relies on donations, payroll deductions from fire department employees, and occasional small contributions from citizens.
Committee members praised the volunteers and asked about staffing, response patterns and future equipment needs. Box 55 said its roster is about 40 members, with roughly 20–25 active responders; typical responses add two to four volunteers per ordinary house fire and many more for multi‑alarm events. The group said it expects a third vehicle to enter service soon and would ideally maintain three vehicles on the road with additional spare capacity for maintenance and peak deployments.
Box 55 asked the council to work with Metro departments to identify a low‑cost vacant building or an economical lease — city examples elsewhere had used former fire stations as home bases for similar organizations. The group stressed it does not seek office space, only storage, meeting space and basic utilities.
The committee did not take any formal action on the presentation; members expressed appreciation and said they would explore potential options with relevant Metro departments.
