Blacksburg Rescue seeks volunteers; paramedic Miranda Jones says training and mentorship provided

Miranda Jones, a paramedic and public information officer for Blacksburg Rescue, urged residents to consider volunteering with the town’s rescue service, saying applicants don’t need prior experience and will receive training and mentorship.

"You don't really need any experience to apply here. We love having new people come in. We'll provide you with all the training," Jones said, describing the department’s approach to recruiting new volunteers.

Jones said the group’s average volunteer length is about seven years and noted that the longest-standing active volunteer has been running calls for 48 years, using those figures to emphasize retention and institutional knowledge.

She outlined the training pathway for new recruits: an initial, intensive six-month probationary period during which trainees receive focused instruction and are paired with a mentor, followed by ongoing training opportunities. "Every member has a 6 month probationary period... we'll provide you with all the training, to make sure that you're competent. And during that probationary period, we'll assign you a mentor," Jones said.

Jones also said the organization will send volunteers to outside courses for additional credentials if they remain in the area, citing advanced EMT and paramedic certification as examples.

She described Blacksburg Rescue as a community of volunteers who provide unpaid emergency services because they are invested in helping their neighbors: "It's also just a large group of people coming together to provide a service for their community... everyone just has a genuine interest in wanting to help the community. So I think that's awesome," Jones said.

Jones did not provide application details or a timeline in this presentation; she emphasized training and mentorship as the service’s primary supports for new volunteers.