In early 1987, after the Van Buren County EMT Class of 1986, a couple of county residents got together and discussed the need for rescue services to be available to the entire county due to the response times in the out lying areas of the county. This group enlisted the aid of a couple of other residents with some expertise that they needed. Now they had Training, Business and Legal Liaison with the Chiefs Association, and the Local EMS provider, all having input in the form of a Board of Directors.

With the existing resources available through the fire departments, the board approached the Van Buren County Fire Chiefs Association to get their input and participation. Due to the de-centralization of the proposed squad the board asked for two people per department to work within their fire districts and be available for mutual aid, to the rest of the county. Due to the support but non participation from several fire departments, more people per department were allowed on the squad.

With the full support of the Van Buren County Fire Chiefs Association, the Van Buren County Rescue Squad was formed. Officers were elected, by-laws adopted, and training started.

With the dedication and hard work of the squad's members and officers, the Van Buren County RescueSquad became the highest trained organization of its type, in the state of Arkansas. The Squad's training hours number in the thousandsand the diversity of this training makes the squad unique. The squad has been recognized state wide for doing Rescue Demonstrations at the State EMS Conference in Little Rock, and has been a model for other rescue squads in the state.

On the sixteenth day of August 1990, the Van Buren County Quorum Court approved a resolution authorizing use of the Van Buren County Rescue Team in emergency situations by residents, organizations, and any entity of county government of Van Buren County. Resolution #90-10.

The diversity of training for the Squad is:

FIRE: Basic Fire Fighter to Fire Fighter III; Fire instructors for the State of Arkansas, International Fire Fighter Test Evaluations.

EMS: First Responder, EMTS, EMTA EMTI, Paramedic. With instructors in this field ranging from CPR to EMT instructors. AFA State Wide EMS Coordinator, and member of teh Health Department. EMS Trauma Training Committee.

RESCUE: Rope Rescue, High Angle Rescue, Rough Terrain and Mountain Rescue Specialist, Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, White Water Rescue, Cave Rescue, Para Rescue, Wildland Search and Rescue, Divers, Dive Rescuers, and Dive Instructors, Smoke Divers, Auto Extrication, and Bus Rescue, Haz-Mat Technicians, and Instructors, and Cowboy Rescue.

We have the SAU/Tech Arkansas Fire Academy State Wide Rescue Instructor Coordinator, the instructors and assistant instructors that do 95% of the certified Rope Rescue Classes in the State.

The Van Buren County Rescue Squad has Certified Instructors as members of the squad to cover all the training needs of the Squads Fire, EMS, and Rescue, training needs with the exception of EMTI and Paramedic Instructors in the EMS field and White Water, Cave, Para Rescue, and Cowboy Rescue in the rescue field. The Squad's instructors and members will be glad to help you locate a certified instructor for the classes you wish to attend. 


CURRENT ROSTER
Brian Tatum

Name

Position

Department

President Choctaw
David Hess Vice President Botkinburg
Karen Davis Secretary Treasurer Choctaw
Jason Gates Safety Officer Hwy 110, Botkinburg
Joide Robinson Jr. Vehicle Maintenence Botkinburg
Lee Threadgill Member Botkinburg, Holley Mtn. Airpark
Glenda Threadgill Member Botkinburg, Holley Mtn. Airpark
Todd Thompson Member Choctaw
Keith Parish Member Bee Branch
Stormie Parish Member Bee Branch
Debbie Tatum Auto Extrication, Haz-Mat Leader Choctaw
HR Perkins Photographer Shirley
Pepper Perkins Assistant Medical Squad Leader Shirley
Elizabeth Hess Member Botkinburg
Donald Heiser Member Choctaw, Culpepper
Joe Benedetti Member Choctaw
Terry Gilliam Member Choctaw
Kathy Weaver Member Choctaw
Joey Weaver Member Choctaw
Ashlee Long Member Botkinburg, Hwy 110
Tawny Gates Member Botkinburg, Hwy 110
Steve Jones Member Culpepper
Doug Jones Member Choctaw
Duane Casada Member Shirley
David Britten Member 911
Lora Benedetti Member Choctaw
Mathew Warford Member Shirley
Gary Edwards Search and Recovery Diver Shirley

Vehicles

Rescue Van
Communication Van
Jaws Truck
Haz Mat Van
Rescue Boat