A History of ...

               Marlton First Aid Squad - Page 2

  In 1974, the Squad purchased a tract of land at 129 E. Main Street across from Knox Blvd. and constructed a new headqurters. Shown here is John Smith of the building committee discussing construction with a contractor.

   The squad's 1970 Cadillac is shown at its new home in September, 1974. Posing with the ambulance is Mr. Smith and John Weiss, building foreman.

  The squad returned to operate within the Evesham Fire Department in 1990 and became known as Evesham EMS. The squad building at 129 East Main Street was sold to the fire department for one dollar soon after this. Evesham EMS continued to operate out of this building until 1998, when it moved to 26 East Main Street to join the fire department. The building at 129 East Main was then sold to Evesham School District for one dollar. It now serves as the school district's Operations Division headquarters.

A squad member working on the grounds in preperation of opening the new building

   By September, 1974 the building was ready to be occupied. Here we see long time member and Captain Barbara Olt, with unidentified person, during the moving process from the building behind the Main Street firehouse.

The squad's ambulances, two shown here in a 1988 parade, used a brown and orange color scheme for a while before becoming Evesham EMS.

  Today, Evesham EMS is housed in this building at 26 East Main Street along with the Evesham Fire Department. The building was built in 1998 at the site of the original Marlton firehouse, which was moved to the rear of the property and houses a museum.

   Evesham EMS is also located at Evesham Fire-Rescue's other stations in Kettle Run and Kings Grant.    

Return to Page 1

Photos (2) courtesy: Steve Pritti

Evesham Nostalgia Websites

   The struggle for the new four-bay building began in 1972, when a building committee was formed. The building cost $50,000, but only had a $40,000 mortgage. A two year fund drive made up the $10,000 for the down payment and the purchase of the land from Wiley Mission.

   While at the time the squad received $10,000 a year from Evesham Township to fund its operations and another $3,600 from the Board of Fire Commissioners in return for answering all fire calls, the squad had to raise its own funds to make up the difference it needed for projects and other uses.

   An original building plan was to include additional rooms for meetings and office area but had to be deleted because of lack of funds. An addition to the building was completed in 1988 to include these areas. The squad continued to hold its meetings at Garden State Community Hospital, today Virtua Marlton, which opened in 1973.

   When the new building opened in 1974, the squad averaged three calls a day for ambulance service and had 31 active members.    

   A late 1970's photo showing the squad's first two modular ambulances - 2291 and 2292. The 1970 Cadillac was still in service as 2293.

Photo courtesy: Steve Pritti

  Front view of the squad's last Cadillac ambulance.

  Keys to a new ambulance are given to Captain Barbara Olt and President Jim McKerney.

   Captain Olt and President McKearney inspect the interior of the ambulance.

Photos (3) Courtesey: Steve Pritti

This site is listed at FireHouse.com