About PL Custom

About Rescue 1

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Martin V. “Bud” SmockFounder
PL Custom Emergency Vehicles/Rescue 1 was founded by Martin V. “Bud” Smock, a true entrepreneur in the emergency vehicle manufacturing industry.
The company originated in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey in 1946 and moved to Brick, New Jersey in the late 1960’s. At that time, the company known as PL Custom Body continued its tradition of top quality ambulance vehicles. The brand of vehicles produced by the company became permanently known as “P & L’s.”
Bud’s forward thinking and passion led to many ambulance and rescue innovations over the years. His vision for the company was to offer high quality customized products, while establishing personalized relationships with each individual customer. With Bud’s passing in 2006, Jean Smock assumed the roll of CEO, maintaining the family-owned business.
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Jean S. SmockOwner & CEO
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Deborah Smock ThomsonPresident
In 2015, Deborah Smock Thomson, Bud’s daughter, took over the reins as President of the company. Deborah has been with the company since 1978. Over the years she has developed a nearly unmatched knowledge of the industry and continues to lead the company with Bud’s vision of manufacturing high quality vehicles based on relationships of trust and commitment with our customers.
When the Smock family purchased PL Custom Body in 1970, the plant facility was 5,000 square feet and the company produced 3 ambulances per year with 7 employees. PL relocated from Brick to Wall Township in 1974 and as growth continued, settled in its present location at 2201 Atlantic Avenue. Today, the company occupies 110,000 square feet and has over 175 full-time employees, many of whom have been with the company for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years. Longevity and dedication to customer satisfaction are key components with the whole PL Custom staff. More than 175 ambulances, rescues, and specialty vehicles are produced and delivered each year.
PL Custom offers all models of modular ambulances—the Medallion Type III, the Titan Medium Duty, and the Classic Type I. PL Custom supports the custom ambulance line by offering ambulance body remounts and all makes and designs of Fire Chief and First Response vehicles.
Our corporate commitment is to provide a high quality emergency vehicle to serve the needs of the department and the community, and when you purchase a PL Custom emergency vehicle, you get much more. Our company builds relationships and trust with our customers as well as vehicles. This is the added value standard at PL Custom.
PL Custom has remained a stable, reliable company over the years and has maintained our vision as an independently-owned, customer-focused designer and manufacturer of high quality custom emergency vehicles.
Reliability, durability and safety are our core values supporting the sales design, engineering and manufacturing of all our products.
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Nancy BuhagiarVice President

At Rescue 1, we go the extra mile so you can, too.

A premier company with proud family ownership, we meticulously design, manufacture and deliver unique vehicles tailored exactly to your needs.

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