08/01/2026
As we spent our last night in our Canton station we reflected upon our origins.
Haywood County Rescue Squad was given its first official home in 1965 at 2 School Street Canton, NC. From this location our equipment and highly training technicians have responded to every corner of our county, lives were saved, and so many memories, good and bad were made.
On May 18th 2026 we were delivered a letter from the Town of Cantons attorney. We were given 60 days to vacate the premises to make way for their new fire station. No conversation, no empathy, and no memory of the lives that we saved during hurricane Helene less than 2 years ago. To them aldermen we are just a "for profit ambulance service".
Nevermind that nearly every piece of technical rescue equipment we own was dedicated to that station for the sole purpose of filling the gap in equipment and training that most of the area fire departments do not possess, or cannot afford
Nevermind the fact that 70% of both our volunteer rescue technicians and volunteer paramedics live within 5 miles of that location.
Nevermind that we have provided at least one ambulance for every event that the Town of Canton has requested us (free of charge).
We are just a "for profit ambulance service".
We will continue to provide the best possible service from our Waynesville station, and we WILL continue to serve eastern Haywood County.
Most importantly we would like to apologize to the men and women that gave up their time with their family to not only build the station, but built the legacy we are so desperately trying to reconstruct. We never dreamed that this would have even been considered by the Board of Aldermen, much less approved.
****Our strife is in no way directed at the canton fire department. We are confident that they were granted no input on this decision, and they have even offered to help us in moving, and housing equipment until we can find a more permanent location. Our relationship with them is as strong as ever and we will still continue to do anything we can to help them.****
Thank you to everyone that has supported us.
