Rescue squads are here to help: NCAD MCRS is ready to deploy statewide

Editor’s note: Local rescue squads play an important part as first responders in Nodaway County. There are six of these squads. The first article in this series is about the Nodaway County Ambulance District (NCAD) mass casualty response squad (MCRS).

By Kathryn Rice

Members of the Nodaway County Ambulance District mass casualty response squad are Kaitlyn Gibbons, QT Wyllie, Kyle Garrett, Katie Spears, Captain Mark Corson, Jason Sybert and Lindsay Stapley. Not pictured: Joshua Smith, Mary Townsend, Kendra Suvanto, Kim Suvanto and Gregg Dieringer.

MCRS covers Nodaway County and is deployable statewide as required.

• Responsibilities:

The squad maintains and deploys the NCAD mass casualty response trailer and its associated rescue truck and equipment. The 27-foot trailer contains medical supplies and equipment to treat up to 100 patients and includes a 20×20-foot shelter and stretchers to establish a field aid station.

MCRS members are all emergency medical responder or higher certified and can provide emergency medical triage, treatment and transport (EMT3) support to the ambulance district.

• Meetings:

MCRS conducts training and maintenance from 9 am to noon, the third Saturday of each month at the NCAD building located at 103 Carefree Drive, Maryville.

• Training:

According to Missouri State and NCAD policy, MCRS members must be Emergency Medical Responder certified. Most squad members are also Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) qualified. Optional training includes vehicular extrication.

Training includes equipment training, emergency medical skills proficiency training and EMT3 training. NCAD provides initial and sustainment training at no cost to squad members.

The squad participates in the Missouri Hope Disaster Response Field Training exercise held at Mozingo each October. The MCRS provided EMT3 during Northwest’s major active shooter exercise.

• Volunteers:

Squad members are volunteers; they pay no dues and receive no reimbursement for expenses. They are covered by NCAD workers comp and liability insurance while participating in squad activities.

• Community involvement:

The squad provided community first aid stations for the fireworks show at Mozingo and the Nodaway County Fair.

As part of NCAD, MCRS provided the logistics support base for three days for the firefighters, police officers, EMR personnel and airport personnel at Rosecrans Airport for the eclipse. The squad also provided a field medical treatment facility for the 20,000 eclipse watchers at Rosecrans, where they treated 19 patients over the three-day period.

The squad received a certificate of appreciation from Mosaic Life Care, Buchanan County EMS and the St. Joseph Health Department for support provided during the 2017 Rosecrans Airport eclipse mission.

“Community members who live out in the county are very much needed on the rescue squads for that very important work,” Captain Mark Corson said. “They are welcome on the MCRS and/or rescue squads.

“Maryville residents generally do not serve on rescue squads and the MCRS is a great place for them to serve. Everyone has different talents and contributions to make, so all are welcome,” he said.