Rescue squads are here to help: Maryville Rescue Squad combines Maryville, Polk Township Fire

By Kathryn Rice

Local rescue squads play an important part as first responders in Nodaway County. There are six of these squads. The second article in this series is about the Maryville Rescue Squad.

The squad is composed of 30 members of the Maryville Volunteer Fire Department and the Polk Township Rural Fire Protection District.

Maryville Fire Department, Polk Township Rural Fire District and Maryville area Rescue Squad members are in front: Erin Keith, John Spiking, Nathen Luke, Michael McVinua, Greg Nielson, Lt. Rick Redden, Lt. Angie Jones, Capt. Phillip Rickabaugh, Lt. Corey McVinua, Lt. Mike Kinman, Bryan Arnold, Aaron Saxton, Matt Johnson, John Carr, Michael Levasseur; back: Thomas Shifflet, Brandon Gumm, Steve Bliley, Brandon Thomas, Bryan Williams, Scott Daniels, Jim Wiederholt, Dave Riley, Shanna McVinua, Chris Redden, Brad Sullivan, Jace Pine. Not pictured are: Brandon Jensen, Cory Roberts, Collin Underwood, Cody Hoepker, Morgan Wheeler and Kim Campbell.

• Responsibilities:

The squad covers the same area as the rural fire district, which is 100 square miles surrounding Maryville as well as within the city limits. Other areas of response are a large portion of the southwest part of Nodaway County and to the Andrew County line.

The Maryville squad emphasizes rescue such as extrication of patients trapped in a car crash or other somewhat technical rescues.

• Training:

Each member is either an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The minimum level of training is the EMR.

The Maryville squad is fortunate to have volunteer members who are full-time paramedics with the Nodaway County Ambulance District (NCAD). Each member is required to take an EMR refresher every two years, and EMTs and paramedics are required to keep up with continuing education required by the state of Missouri and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Training varies from many different scenarios or incidents that the squad faces. In January, the squad took to a frozen pond to practice ice rescue techniques. In the summer, the squad practices water rescue at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park. The squad will acquire wrecked automobiles to practice vehicle extrication with hydraulic tools. As automobile technology changes, the squad must adapt.

“A major benefit that the new facility will have is a training/meeting room that can be dedicated to training without interruption, a plus for both rescue squad and firefighter training,” said Captain Phil Rickabaugh about the new Maryville Public Safety building which will be constructed at First and Vine streets.

“The thing that I would like the community to know about our first responders is they give a lot of time to serve with a lot of dedication and oftentimes are witness to things that no one should have to see,” Rickabaugh said. “We all live in a small, close-knit community, you may be called to respond to a total stranger or a family member or your best friend. I think I can speak for our first responders and share a huge thanks to our families who support us in our service.”