09/26/2026
Every year at Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, there are members who earn the special and selective distinction of life membership. For a member to be considered for life membership, they must remain in good standing with the agency, complete their required hours of service and minimum years of total service, and receive approval from the Board of Directors. A typical life member at HRS accomplishes this achievement within 8–12 years of their first month of service.
In lieu of the general membership spotlight this month, we want to highlight this exceptional achievement by a provider who has put in the work to earn her life membership. For the September Life Membership Spotlight, we are happy to introduce Life Member and Paramedic, Christine Robson!
Christine started her road to life membership in September 2018 when she was at JMU pursuing her undergraduate degree. While she knew healthcare was the right path for her, Christine did not know which niche suited her best within the field. Harrisonburg Rescue Squad seemed like a great starting point, with its mix of community service and the diversity of conditions seen in emergency medicine. Shortly after joining, she progressed through her driver and AIC (attendant-in-charge) training. She practiced as a BLS (basic life support) AIC for three years before obtaining her paramedic certification and completing her extensive in-house training to practice independently. Christine also serves as a Duty Officer (shift supervisor).
Christine has been a BLS preceptor for the past six years and ALS (advanced life support) preceptor for the past three years at HRS. Since becoming a BLS and ALS preceptor, Christine has helped train multiple providers throughout their process. She has also guided and released, as the primary preceptor, seven BLS AICs, one advanced EMT provider, and one paramedic provider. During her eight years, Christine has also responded to over 1,500 calls for service!
Currently, Christine lives in Connecticut. For the past two years, she has commuted sixteen hours round trip each month to come down for her duty shifts. She works for Westerly Ambulance Corps as a paramedic. Prior to working there, Christine worked at George Washington Hospital in DC as a paramedic in the ER, as well as in multiple EMS and government contracting positions. Christine attributes many positive aspects of her life to Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, from her personal life to her competency, compassion, and medical understanding as an EMS provider. She has volunteered with HRS for the past eight years not only because she enjoys the type of service she can provide, but because of the Harrisonburg community and the opportunity to pass on what others have taught her during her time here.
Christine’s advice for people interested in joining includes: “Give HRS a chance and do at least one observation shift. Joining HRS was one of the best decisions of my life, and even after working at multiple wonderful stations, there is no place like HRS. There is an amazing group of people from all different walks of life who put their whole heart into everything they do.”
Christine’s advice for current members at HRS includes: “Seize every moment to learn something new and lean on your fellow members. We are uniquely bonded because of the services we provide to the community and the support we have for each other. My biggest lesson I have learned from the agency is to always be willing to learn something new. There is a new way of thinking, a new skill, and a new approach you can pull from someone else.”
Harrisonburg Rescue Squad is incredibly proud and fortunate to have Christine as a member. We congratulate Christine and celebrate her achievement in obtaining life membership! Her intelligence, compassion for exceptional patient care, personable and easily approachable personality, remarkably patient, calm and unflappable demeanor, and willingness to learn and teach about anything have always made her presence in the bays and on shift something to look forward to. From everyone at HRS, thank you, Christine Robson, for your time and commitment and congratulations on your outstanding accomplishment of life membership!
If you have any interest or questions about volunteering, EMS, or Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, please visit our website, www.harrisonburgrescue.org
