New Hampshire Fire History

EMS Partners

Emergency medical services are a critical part of New Hampshire’s public safety system. While many communities operate EMS through their fire departments, others rely on independent agencies, regional services, or private providers to answer 911 medical emergencies. This page documents those non-fire department EMS partners—both transporting ambulance services and organized non-transport first-response agencies—that respond to emergency calls in the field. It does not include agencies that operate solely as interfacility transport services.

Historical data for some services remain incomplete. If you have documentation or records, please contact us.

45th Parallel EMS

Status: Active
Founded: 2008
Service Area: Clarksville, Colebrook, Columbia, Dixville, Pittsburg, and Stewartstown (NH); Canaan, Lemington, and Norton (VT)
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2025): 1,461
Dispatched By: Northern Borders Dispatch

45th Parallel EMS is a non-profit regional ambulance service established in 2008 following the closure of volunteer ambulance services in Colebrook and Pittsburg after hospital funding for those services ended. The new organization was formed to ensure continued 911 emergency medical coverage for communities in northern Coös County in New Hampshire and Essex County in Vermont.

The service currently provides coverage to Clarksville, Colebrook, Columbia, Dixville, Pittsburg, and Stewartstown in New Hampshire, as well as Canaan, Lemington, and Norton in Vermont. It also serves seven additional unincorporated communities in Vermont. Altogether, its response area encompasses approximately 1,200 square miles. At its inception, the agency operated out of a trailer at Upper Connecticut Valley Regional Hospital before relocating to a custom-built station in Colebrook. It maintains a fleet of four ambulances.

45th Parallel EMS provides 24/7 ALS-level emergency medical coverage with at least two providers on duty at all times. The service is dispatched by Northern Borders Dispatch.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
45th Parallel EMS

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American Ambulance New England

Status: Former NH Provider
Founded: 1964
NH Operations Start Date: 2013
Ceased NH Operations
: 2019
Service Area: Somersworth
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2017): 1,777
Dispatched By: Somersworth Police

American Ambulance New England was the northeastern arm of American Ambulance, a private, Florida-based interfacility transfer company that was founded in 1964. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it acquired various ambulance companies around central Florida, and purchased Samaritan Ambulance (formerly General Ambulance and Mercy Ambulance) of Massachusetts in 2011, rebranding it as American Ambulance New England. The following year, the entire American operation was purchased by Falck.

In 2013, it began providing emergency response to Somersworth, NH. It staffed two ambulances painted white with a blue stripe. In 2019, Falck decided to sell American Ambulance New England to Stewart’s Ambulance service of central New Hampshire. Stewart’s assumed the contract for Somersworth, as well as Berwick, ME, which was served from the Somersworth base. While American continued to operate in Florida, its New Hampshire operations ended when the deal closed.

American Medical Response

Status: Active
Founded: 1992
NH Operations Start Date: TBD
Service Area: Manchester and Nashua
Number of Bases: 2
Annual Run Volume (2024): TBD
Dispatched By: Manchester Fire Alarm, Nashua Fire Alarm

TBD

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Manchester
Nashua

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Calex Ambulance

Status: Former NH Provider
Founded: 1984
NH Operations Start Date: 2013
Ceased NH Operations
: 2018
Service Area: Easton, Littleton, Sugar Hill
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2016, NH only): 1,068
Dispatched By: Twin State Fire Mutual Aid

Calex Ambulance is a private, nonprofit ambulance service based in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont. Founded in 1984, the organization was established to serve nine towns in Caledonia and Essex counties in Vermont (its name is a portmanteau of “Caledonia” and “Essex”).

In 2013, Calex began providing 911 ambulance coverage to the New Hampshire towns of Easton, Littleton, and Sugar Hill following a competitive bid process, replacing Ross Ambulance. A single paramedic-level ambulance was staffed 24/7 and housed at the Littleton Fire Station for its New Hampshire operations. It was dispatched by Twin State Fire Mutual Aid.

In 2018, due to budget concerns, Littleton elected to change ambulance providers to Claremont-based Golden Cross Ambulance, concluding Calex’s New Hampshire service period.

Charlestown Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1969
Ceased Operations: 2020
Service Area: Acworth, Charlestown, Langdon
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2019): 400
Dispatched By: Charlestown Police

Charlestown Ambulance was a volunteer-based ambulance service that served the Town of Charlestown from 1969 to 2020. It was initially based at the Charlestown Medical Center, operating an ambulance donated by the Charlestown Grange. In 1972, the service relocated to a combined fire/EMS station on North Main Street. Dispatch was provided by Charlestown Police.

The service operated two white ambulances with orange striping and, in addition to Charlestown, provided coverage to Acworth from at least 1974 through 1983 and to Langdon from at least 1979 through 1983. Those contracts were discontinued in 1983 due to staffing shortages. In 1988, Charlestown began staffing paid daytime EMTs; these personnel were also certified as part-time police officers for the town.

In 1996, following the donation of land and a building, the service moved from the fire station to its own two-bay station on Springfield Road. By 2002, three paramedics were listed on the roster.

During the late 2010s, persistent staffing shortages prompted the town to evaluate alternative service models. In 2020, Charlestown entered into a contract with Golden Cross Ambulance, concluding more than five decades of locally operated ambulance service.

Cheshire County EMS

Status: Active
Founded: 2022
Service Area: Gilsum, Harrisville, Marlborough, Richmond, Stoddard, Swanzey, and Westmoreland
Number of Bases: 2
Annual Run Volume (projected): 2,200
Dispatched By: SWNH

Cheshire County EMS is a municipal, county-based service established in 2022 and operating under the authority of the Cheshire County Commissioners. The agency was initially formed with the intention of taking over the DiLuzio Ambulance fleet and equipment after its operators requested help in finding new ownership. That deal ultimately fell through before it could be completed. Instead, Cheshire County decided to build the agency from scratch. It began interfacility transfers in 2022 from a base at the Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland while a dedicated facility was being built on Lake Street in Swanzey. Upon completion of the new station, the Westmoreland base continued to be staffed for communities in the northwestern part of the county.

In April of 2023, DiLuzio let the county know that it would be shutting down by May, leaving seven communities that had contracts with the outgoing service in need of a new EMS provider. These towns—Gilsum, Harrisville, Marlborough, Richmond, Stoddard, Swanzey, and Westmoreland—all signed with Cheshire County to ensure uninterrupted 911 service starting in May. Additional towns contracted with them to provide ALS intercept, including Alstead, Fitzwilliam, Marlow, Troy, Walpole, and Winchester.

The service provides 24/7 ALS coverage from its two stations, with 11 providers on duty staffing five ambulances and one flycar. Units operate in a white and navy striped livery. The service is dispatched by Southwestern New Hampshire District Fire Mutual Aid (SWNH) and participates in the regional mutual aid system.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Cheshire County EMS

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Cottage Hospital Volunteer Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1972
Ceased Operations: 1988
Service Area: Bath, Benton, Haverhill, Monroe, Warren, and Wentworth (NH); Groton, Newbury, and Ryegate (VT)
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (1985): 540
Dispatched By: Hospital staff

The Cottage Hospital Volunteer Ambulance District was a hospital-run EMS service that served multiple communities in the Upper Connecticut River Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont. It was founded in 1972 following the passage of the Ambulance Act by the New Hampshire legislature in 1971, ensuring that area towns had ambulance coverage staffed by trained personnel in accordance with the new state standards. The service succeeded Ricker Ambulance as the primary 911 provider for the area.

The original service area consisted of Bath, Benton, Haverhill, Monroe, Warren, and Wentworth, NH and Groton, Newbury, and Ryegate, VT. Two ambulances were in service by 1974, and were dispatched by ER staff at the hospital. In 1981, Warren and Wentworth left the district after establishing Warren-Wentworth Ambulance.

By the mid-1980s, reimbursement cuts created budgetary strain for the district. At the same time, the newly formed Woodsville Fire District in Haverhill began planning its own ambulance service, which ultimately reduced the need for a hospital-based, regional provider. The Cottage Hospital Volunteer Ambulance District was subsequently dissolved in 1988.

Errol Rescue Squad

Status: Active
Founded: 1983
Service Area: Cambridge, Dix’s Grant, Errol, Millsfield, Second College Grant, and Wentworth’s Location (NH); Lincoln, Magalloway, and Upton (ME)
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2024): 84
Dispatched By: Northern Borders Dispatch

The Errol Rescue Squad is a volunteer, nonprofit ambulance service serving multiple towns in the Great North Woods of New Hampshire and Maine. It was formed in 1983 by three EMTs who sought to reduce the 30–60 minute ambulance response times from Berlin, Milan, or Colebrook. In its early years, members responded in personal vehicles as a traditional FAST Squad–style agency, providing first response care until a transporting ambulance arrived.

In 1991, the squad received its first ambulance, a 1979 Ford van donated by Pittsburg Ambulance Corps. The vehicle was housed at the Errol Fire Station and used for first response only, as the squad did not yet have sufficient personnel to provide licensed transport. By 1997, enough members had been trained to begin transport services. The Town of Errol purchased a new ambulance and leased it to the squad. In 1999, the organization incorporated as a nonprofit and purchased the ambulance outright.

Additional equipment was later added, including a rescue sled for snowmobile incidents and a UTV for woods rescues. Dispatch transitioned to Northern Borders Regional Dispatch in Colebrook in 2005, and the squad moved into the Errol Public Safety Building in 2009. Paramedic services were provided by Berlin EMS and later 45th Parallel EMS until 2024, when the squad became ALS certified by the state.

It currently serves Cambridge, Dix’s Grant, Errol, Millsfield, Second College Grant, and Wentworth’s Location in New Hampshire, as well as Lincoln, Magalloway, and Upton in Maine. The squad operates a white ambulance with a pink stripe and pink Star of Life.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Errol Rescue Squad

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Fremont Volunteer Rescue Squad

Status: Merged into fire department
Founded: 1984
Merged: 2007
Service Area: Fremont
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2004): 180
Dispatched By: Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department

Fremont Volunteer Rescue Squad was established in 1984 to provide first-response medical care in the Town of Fremont while awaiting the arrival of transporting ambulances from Brentwood or Raymond. Initially, members responded in personal vehicles. In 1990, the squad acquired a used ambulance that was converted into a Rescue Van for use on medical and motor vehicle accident calls. Dispatch was provided by the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department.

The service originally operated from the Fremont Fire Station on Main Street before relocating to the town’s Public Safety Building in 1998. Fremont Volunteer Rescue did not transport patients, instead functioning strictly as a FAST squad with additional capability for vehicle and off-road rescue. Following the retirement of the Rescue Van, the squad operated white SUVs with red striping for first-response duties.

In 2004, all rescue equipment was transferred to the Fremont Fire Department, and the squad transitioned to first-responder medical operations only. In 2007, the organization was formally integrated into the fire department as Fremont Rescue.

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Frisbie Memorial Hospital EMS

Status: Active
Founded: 1980
Service Area: Rochester
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2020s): 7,000
Dispatched By: Rochester Police

Frisbie Memorial Hospital EMS is one of two hospital-based EMS services currently providing 911 coverage in New Hampshire. It was founded in 1980 when Frisbie Memorial Hospital assumed EMS responsibility for the city of Rochester.

The service initially staffed one ambulance during daytime hours with on-call coverage overnight. By the 2000s, operations expanded to two ambulances during the day and one at night. In 2018, the service transitioned to staffing two ambulances 24/7.

Frisbie EMS operates differently from most EMS agencies in New Hampshire in that its providers also work within the hospital’s emergency department when not assigned to calls. Crews are permitted to continue patient care upon arrival at the hospital when their skillset aligns with the needs of the emergency room staff. A flycar is available for ALS intercepts in surrounding communities in both New Hampshire and Maine.

Units operate Ford E-Series Type III ambulances in a white livery with dual red striping and red Star of Life markings. The service provides 24/7 ALS-level emergency coverage with at least four providers on duty at all times and is dispatched by Rochester Police.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Frisbie EMS

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Grafton Ambulance

Status: Active
Founded: 1994
Service Area: Grafton
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2025): 126
Dispatched By: Upper Valley

Grafton Ambulance is a municipal EMS department that provides medical service to the town of Grafton. The ambulance service traces its roots to the early 1970s, when it operated as part of the Grafton Fire Department. It was recognized as an independent department by the town in 1994. It is dispatched by Upper Valley in Hanover.

Grafton Ambulance provides intermediate life support with a small but dedicated contingent of volunteers that operate a single, red Type III ambulance out of the town’s fire station. Due to staffing struggles, the department has at times contracted with Canaan Ambulance to provide EMS coverage when Grafton cannot respond. In 2026, the two towns began discussions on a possible merger of ambulance service.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Grafton Ambulance

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LeFevere Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1983
Ceased Operations: 2010
Service Area: Acworth, Langdon
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2007, Acworth Only): 40
Dispatched By: In-house and SWNH

LeFevre Ambulance was a Vermont-based ambulance service that provided 911 coverage to the Town of Acworth, NH from 1984 to 2010. Founded in 1983 by a retired Vermont State Trooper, the service initially operated from Westminster and later from Bellows Falls, Vermont. Langdon was among its earliest New Hampshire contracts, signing with LeFevre alongside Acworth in 1984 and remaining with the service until approximately 1989, when it transitioned to Golden Cross Ambulance.

LeFevre utilized Ford-based ambulances along with a 2003 GMC Sonoma intercept vehicle for ALS response. It was licensed as a paramedic-level service in 1991 and, at its peak, held contracts with eight area towns—though Acworth and Langdon were its only New Hampshire municipalities. In 1998, the service was recognized as Vermont Ambulance Service of the Year. It was dispatched both through their office as well as SWNH.

In 2005, LeFevre lost the majority of its municipal contracts through competitive bidding, which significantly reduced revenue. By the time it closed in 2010, the service was providing coverage only to Athens, VT and Acworth, NH. Golden Cross assumed 911 coverage in Acworth following the service’s closure.

Marl-Harris Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1969
Ceased Operations: 2014
Service Area: Harrisville, Marlborough
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2013): ~175
Dispatched By: SWNH

Marl-Harris Ambulance was a private, non-profit ambulance service that operated in the towns of Marlborough and Harrisville starting in 1969. The service was founded by the Spring Lake, New Jersey relative of a Harrisville citizen who had been unable to obtain timely ambulance service. In conjunction with a Marlborough citizen and the Spring Lake First Aid and Emergency Squad in New Jersey, a used Cadillac ambulance was shipped up the coast to New Hampshire for Marl-Harris Ambulance. It was kept in the Marlborough fire station and staffed by both the Harrisville and Marlborough rescue squads.

The service was dependent on volunteers, and even had high school students provide auxiliary EMT operations during work hours when adult residents were out of town at their day jobs. Because the combined population of the two towns was just about 3,000, finding and keeping volunteers on the staff was a difficult endeavor. In 2012, Harrisville pulled out of the partnership due to lack of volunteers, selecting DiLuzio Ambulance as its contracted EMS partner. By late 2014, Marlborough selectmen had made the decision to sign a contract with DiLuzio, ending Marl-Harris 911 services. The ambulance, then a white Ford with blue striping, was sold to Peterborough. However, the Marl-Harris name lived on as a nonprofit with the goal of offsetting the cost of Marlborough’s ambulance contract.

Pembroke EMS

Status: Active
Founded: 2024
Service Area: Pembroke
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2025): 841
Dispatched By: Capital Area Fire Mutual Aid Compact

Pembroke EMS was established on July 1st, 2024, following the dissolution of Tri-Town EMS after Allenstown began operating its own municipal ambulance service. This effectively ended the regional Tri-Town model (Hooksett had previously withdrawn following 2012) and required Pembroke to establish an independent, municipally operated EMS agency.

The new department retained space within the Pembroke Public Safety Building formerly occupied by Tri-Town EMS and assumed an ambulance designated as Ambulance 8. A second ambulance was placed in service the following year, resulting in the original unit being redesignated as Ambulance 9.

Pembroke EMS provides 24/7 emergency coverage at the ALS level with two providers on duty at all times. The second ambulance is staffed by call members as needed. The service is dispatched by Concord Fire Alarm and participates in the Capital Area Fire Mutual Aid Compact, both providing and receiving mutual aid with surrounding communities. The formation of Pembroke EMS marked a broader regional shift from shared hospital-supported EMS systems toward independent municipal ambulance services.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Pembroke EMS

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Raceway Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1987
Ceased Operations: 1997
Service Area: Chichester and Loudon
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (1997): Not documented
Dispatched By: Not documented

Raceway Ambulance was a private ambulance service that provided 911 coverage to the towns of Loudon and Chichester during the late 1980s and much of the 1990s. Founded in 1987, the service was established in connection with Bryar Motorsports Park (later redeveloped as New Hampshire Motor Speedway). The racetrack reportedly initiated the service primarily for on-site medical coverage and subsequently offered to provide municipal EMS coverage to Loudon if the town agreed to assist with payroll costs.

Raceway began serving Loudon in 1987 after the town’s contract with American Ambulance ended. In 1989, it expanded to serve Chichester following the closure of Center Barnstead Ambulance. At some point after its formation, Raceway was acquired by Paramedic Systems Inc. of Rhode Island, which continued operating the service in both towns through 1997.

In March 1997, Raceway ceased providing municipal 911 coverage, leaving Loudon and Chichester to establish their own ambulance services to ensure uninterrupted emergency response. The two towns adopted a cooperative model in which coverage responsibility alternated by the week, regardless of municipal boundaries. Additional details regarding this arrangement can be found on the Chichester department page.

Following the termination of its 911 operations, the Raceway name continued to appear in the region in association with event and track medical services at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, though it no longer operated as a municipal ambulance provider.

Rescue Inc.

Status: Active
Founded: 1966
Service Area: Chesterfield, Hinsdale
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume: Not documented
Dispatched By: SWNH

Rescue Inc. is a private, nonprofit ambulance service based in Brattleboro, VT. Established in 1966 by members of the National Ski Patrol, it began as an all-volunteer organization providing 911 emergency response to Brattleboro and surrounding communities. As the service expanded, it transitioned to per diem and eventually full-time staffing to ensure consistent ALS coverage.

In 1975, Rescue Inc. became the transporting ambulance provider for Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Chesterfield entered into a contract with the service in either 1976 or 1977. The service operates white ambulances with orange striping and is dispatched by SWNH. New Hampshire communities are served out of the Brattleboro base.

In the spring of 2023, DiLuzio Ambulance announced that it would no longer provide EMS services to seven towns in Cheshire County. Rescue Inc. assumed interim coverage, hiring former DiLuzio staff and operating from Keene’s two fire stations during the transition period. Six of the affected towns—Gilsum, Harrisville, Marlborough, Richmond, Stoddard, and Swanzey—subsequently entered into contracts with newly formed Cheshire County EMS. Rescue Inc. concluded its temporary regional coverage at the end of June 2023 and continues to provide ambulance service to Hinsdale and Chesterfield under its existing contracts.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Rescue Inc.

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Rockingham Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1979
Ceased Operations: 2011
Service Area: Candia, Manchester, Nashua
Number of Bases: 2
Annual Run Volume (2006): 18,206
Dispatched By: Manchester Fire Alarm, Nashua Fire Alarm

Rockingham Regional Ambulance was a regional, ALS-level EMS service that was funded primarily by St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua. It served that city from its inception in 1979 through its demise in 2011. In addition to Nashua, Rockingham served Manchester between 1993 and 2011 and Candia from 2001 to 2011.

Up to seven staffed units were shared between its bases at 31 Auburn Street in Manchester and 380 West Hollis Street in Nashua, with Manchester-based units responding to Candia. Units typically rode on Ford E-Series chassis with a white box, navy-blue striping, and large “Rockingham” side lettering. Manchester utilized ALS-1 through ALS-4, while Nashua utilized ALS-10 through ALS-12 as its callsigns.

In late 2010, Rockingham ceased operations in Manchester and Candia after AMR was awarded the contract beginning in 2011. In September 2011, St. Joseph Hospital announced it was shutting down the service permanently, citing Medicaid reimbursement cuts in the state budget. Ambulance coverage in Nashua transitioned to AMR, ending more than three decades of hospital-based EMS service in the city.

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Rumney EMS

Status: Merged into fire department
Founded: 1989
Merged: 2026
Service Area: Rumney
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2025): 151
Dispatched By: Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid

Rumney EMS was established in 1989 as the Rumney FAST Squad, with operations formally beginning in 1990. The service operates from Rumney Fire Station 1 on Depot Street and runs a single red ambulance, purchased secondhand from neighboring Hebron. It provides primarily call-member coverage and is dispatched by Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid (LRMFA), operating under radio town identifier 38.

In 2007, the organization renamed itself from Rumney FAST Squad to Rumney EMS as part of a broader effort to transition toward transport capability. The following year, in 2008, it was licensed by the State of New Hampshire to provide ambulance transport. Despite this, Plymouth Ambulance has continued to serve as the town’s primary contracted transport provider.

In 2024, Rumney added its first paramedic to the roster, marking a significant step forward in service capability. Following the closure of Warren-Wentworth EMS in the summer of that year, Rumney and Plymouth developed a cooperative staffing arrangement for Warren and Wentworth, for which Plymouth had assumed primary medical coverage. On weekends, Plymouth provides daytime staffing for the Rumney ambulance; when operating in this capacity, the unit responds over the radio as Plymouth Ambulance 3.

In 2026, Rumney EMS officially merged with the Rumney Fire Department.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Rumney EMS

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Tri-Town EMS

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1972
Ceased Operations: 2024
Service Area: Allenstown, Hooksett, Pembroke
Number of Bases: 2
Annual Run Volume (2023): 1,422
Dispatched By: Hooksett Police, Capital Area Fire Mutual Aid Compact

Tri-Town EMS was established in 1972 as the Tri-Town Volunteer Emergency Ambulance Service. It was a privately operated service organized by EMTs from Allenstown, Hooksett, and Pembroke following the dissolution of VFW Community Ambulance, which had previously served those towns. VFW donated its ambulance, equipment, and garage space on Central Street in Pembroke to the new service. Dispatch was initially provided by Hooksett Police.

In 1974, Tri-Town added a second ambulance. A 1977 addition to the Central Street garage created a second apparatus bay and a second-story space used for living quarters and training. Through the early 1980s, the service operated primarily with volunteer staffing, providing full-time BLS coverage with part-time ALS availability. In 1986, per-diem daytime staffing was implemented to ensure consistent coverage. A third ambulance was added in 1988, with the fleet designated as Ambulances 500, 501, and 502. In 1997, Tri-Town transitioned to 24/7 ALS coverage.

By 2003, one ambulance was staffed 24 hours per day, with a second staffed during daytime hours (8:00 AM–6:00 PM) and housed at Hooksett Central Fire Station. In 2005, dispatch operations transitioned from Hooksett Police to Capital Area Fire Alarm in Concord.

In 2012, Hooksett did not renew its contract with Tri-Town after establishing its own fire department-based ambulance service. Allenstown and Pembroke subsequently restructured the organization into a municipal service in 2013, renaming itself to just Tri-Town EMS. That same year, the service relocated from the Central Street garage to the Pembroke Public Safety Building on Pembroke Street.

Tri-Town traditionally operated white ambulances with a burgundy stripe. In 2017, the service adopted a gray-over-yellow color scheme with the delivery of a new Type III ambulance designated Ambulance 8. That same year, Tri-Town was named New Hampshire EMS Service of the Year.

In 2022, Allenstown was licensed by the state for ambulance transport and began transitioning to an independent service model. For approximately two years, Allenstown and Tri-Town operated concurrently while the transition took place. In mid-2024, Allenstown assumed full ambulance coverage for the town, leaving Tri-Town to serve Pembroke exclusively. The organization was subsequently restructured as Pembroke EMS, concluding the Tri-Town regional service model that had operated since 1972.

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United Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1960s
Ceased NH Operations: 1977
Service Area: Amherst, Brookline, Lyndeborough, Milford, Mont Vernon, and Wilton (NH); Pepperell (MA)
Number of Bases: 3
Annual Run Volume: Not documented
Dispatched By: Milford Area Communications

United Ambulance was a privately owned EMS service founded in the early to mid-1960s. Based in Nashua, it originally provided non-emergency and interfacility transfers as well as event standbys at race tracks around the region. With the passage of ambulance licensing legislation in 1972, a number of local towns found themselves in need of licensed ambulance personnel. Sensing this demand, United entered into a contract with Amherst, Brookline, Lyndeborough, Milford, Mont Vernon, and Wilton to provide 911 service with two ambulances housed in Milford. It was dispatched via the Milford Communications Center. An additional two ambulances were housed in Pepperell, MA, that year, providing service to that community.

United’s foray into the Souhegan Valley was short-lived. In 1974, both Milford and Wilton started their own individual transporting ambulance services, with Wilton’s providing coverage to Lyndeborough. United announced that it would decline to continue providing coverage in the area, relocating the Milford ambulances to its base in Nashua. Towns without their own rescue equipment could either wait for an ambulance to travel from Nashua or transport patients themselves, as Amherst did with its rescue truck. In 1975, Amherst Rescue Squad obtained an ambulance and began providing full-time transport to residents of Amherst and Mont Vernon.

In 1975, Hollis, Hudson, and Litchfield all signed short-term contracts with United after their previous EMS provider, the Nashua Police Department’s ambulance service, shut down. The Hollis and Hudson contracts remained in effect until 1976, when each acquired its own ambulance and became licensed to transport. By 1978, Litchfield had contracted Hudson’s ambulance service for coverage. Brookline’s contract with United also ended in 1976, and the town entered into a short-term agreement with American Ambulance Service to maintain coverage while Brookline Ambulance was being established. While United continued to provide non-emergency transport in the region, it would not again serve in a 911 capacity.

VFW Community Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1955
Ceased Operations: 1972
Service Area: Allenstown, Hooksett, Pembroke
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (1971): 190
Dispatched By: Self dispatch by telephone

VFW Community Ambulance was a volunteer ambulance service operated by Suncook Valley VFW Post 2860 from 1955 to 1972. The service operated first from a rented garage at an unknown location until 1964, when a one-bay garage attached to the VFW building on Central Street in Suncook Village was constructed. It provided coverage to Allenstown, Hooksett, and Pembroke.

Documentation regarding specific ambulance models and livery is limited, though it is believed that a 1968 Pontiac-based ambulance was placed in service during the later years of operation.

In 1972, VFW Community Ambulance discontinued operations after it was unable to meet new state training standards for ambulance personnel. Its equipment, ambulance, and garage space were donated to the newly formed Tri-Town Volunteer Ambulance, which assumed emergency coverage for the three towns.

Warren-Wentworth Ambulance

Status: Defunct
Founded: 1977
Ceased Operations: 2025
Service Area: Benton, Dorchester, Groton, Piermont, Warren, Wentworth
Number of Bases: 1
Annual Run Volume (2024): 293
Dispatched By: Lakes Regional Mutual Fire Aid

Warren-Wentworth EMS was an independent, non-profit ambulance service that served multiple towns in the Baker River Valley. Its roots trace back to the inception of the Warren FAST Squad in 1977, which was renamed to the Warren-Wentworth FAST Squad in 1980. At that time, the agency only provided first-response care, with transport being handled by Plymouth or Cottage Hospital. In 1981, it purchased its first used ambulance and began transport service. The ambulance was housed at the Warren Fire Department on Water Street, and dispatch was handled by staff at the Glencliff Home for the Elderly.

In 1993, the service renamed itself to Warren-Wentworth EMS. In 1997, the service transitioned dispatch to Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid (LRMFA) in Laconia and was assigned radio identifier 24. In 2000, a two-bay station was built on NH 25 and housed up to three ambulances. It added its first paramedic to the roster in 2005, and by 2008 had begun daytime staffing at the station with 2 EMTs.

In addition to serving Warren and Wentworth, the service had contracts with businesses such as Glencliff Home and local racetracks. They also started providing EMS response for parts of Benton, Dorchester, Piermont, and Groton. By the late 2010s, the service had transitioned to 24/7 staffing.

In 2024, a budget shortfall led to an emergency funding request to Warren and Wentworth, which was granted. However, this was a stopgap measure and, in July 2025 following more financial turmoil, the remaining staff quit, ending operations. The ambulances were sold off later that year. Plymouth, Rumney, Woodsville, and Upper Valley Ambulance all volunteered to provide interim coverage until a more permanent solution could be found. Eventually, Warren and Wentworth selected Plymouth for EMS service through the beginning of 2026.

Dispatch Tone Recordings
Warren-Wentworth EMS