The Clifton Forge Rescue Squad was founded in 1945. The first captain was Fred Paxton and he served as the Captain for 12 years. The squad was housed with the Clifton Forge Fire Department during the beginning stages of its existence. The fire department was located on Main Street in Clifton Forge, next to what was then City Hall. Clifton Forge has since reverted to a town and is now used as Town Hall. The Clifton Forge Rescue Squad began with 12 charter members in 1945 with one ambulance that was a converted funeral van. In the late 1950s the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad separated from the Clifton Forge Fire Department to form its own Incorporated Agency and moved to its current location at 522 Commercial Street in Clifton Forge. In 1959, the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad Headquarters was named Paxton Hall in honor of it's First Captain, Fred Paxton. In 1975 the Van Horn Family donated property adjacent to the Squad Building located on Commercial Street and the rescue squad built an addition that was primarily used at that time for the Junior Membership and storage. In the summer of 1995, in order to meet the growing needs of the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad this structure was torn down and a new modern addition was added to house three ambulances with a new training room upstairs along with working offices.

The Clifton Forge Rescue Squad had a celebration in 1995 celebrating their 50th Anniversary. 2005 marks the Squad's 60th Anniversary. The Clifton Forge Rescue Squad benefits from the unselfish support of the Founders Auxiliary of the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad that was founded by Mildred Coffman on August 17, 1948 and was the first Auxiliary formed in the State of Virginia, the reasoning behind the name "Founders Auxiliary".

For the first 40+ years of the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad, Bingo remained the Primary Source of funding of the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad. It was well supported by the community raising thousands of dollars each year to maintain the operations and equipment of the Squad. In the early 1990s Alleghany County began funding the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad with a comparable amount that they were already funding the other three squads in Alleghany County. Another source of funding throughout the years has been the Greater Alleghany United Fund (GAUF). In addition to the other funding sources listed above, the squad receives donations from the Community that they serve.

In the early years of the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad, the squad would respond to an average of 400 to 500 calls on a yearly basis. In the present years of the rescue squad, the squad averages between 1,400 and 1,800 per year. The squad currently has one of the largest coverage areas of any volunteer Rescue Squad in the state of Virginia covering four counties, two towns, and providing mutual aid for 11 other agencies. All of this is accomplished with a current roster of approximately 30 members. This year marks the 60th anniversary that the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad has proudly and unselfishly provided emergency medical services to our community.