Press release from Henderson County Rescue Squad:
Since 1957 the Henderson County Rescue Squad has provided ambulance and rescue services to Henderson County. The beginnings were small, just a group of men, who after a drowning on Lake Summit saw a need for a rescue squad in this area. Over the years the needs have grown, and the personnel and department had to grow to meet those needs. Today more than 100 personnel, both paid and volunteer, stand at the ready to continue their service to Henderson County, but that mission has also expanded over the years. The mission to serve others often times extends to outside of Henderson County to other counties in NC who are in need, and also to other states who may need Dive, Swiftwater, or Search and Rescue services provided by the department. Leadership is key to be able to manage and lead an organization of this size. Currently Chief Kathy Morgan is the person providing the leadership and direction for the department as its first female Chief.
In 2021, Kathy will have served 40 years with the Rescue Squad. Kathy is no stranger to helping others or paving the way for women. As a college student, Kathy was instrumental in forming, along with others, the first Women’s Volleyball and Basketball teams at Elon University in 1971. The Elon University Coach at the time, Kay Yow, became her mentor and a lifelong friend often checking in on each other over the years. After receiving her undergraduate and post graduate degrees, Kathy began to work as a Health and Physical Education Teacher in the Henderson County School System. Here she taught and coached students throughout her career and ended up retiring after 32 years in 2006 as a Lead Teacher/Assistant Principal at Hendersonville High School. During football season you will still find Kathy along the sidelines, working a medical standby for the Rescue Squad at the Hendersonville games.
Kathy’s work with the Red Cross as a CPR and Lifeguard Instructor got her interested in helping others, but her encounters with Herman Hawkins would bring her to the Rescue Squad. Herman was a crossing guard and the Chief of the Rescue Squad at the time. This was in the late 70’s/early 80’s and there were no women on the department and Herman told Kathy it would be a ‘hard sell’, but to let him work on it. After about a year Kathy was voted on to the department and was challenged to prove to everyone that she could do the job of an emergency responder, which she did. Within two years Kathy was the Finance Officer for the department and has done that job ever since. After joining the Rescue Squad, Kathy went to Tom Edmundson who was the EMS Director and was able to start working part time at EMS when only one woman was working there. Today the number of men and women on the Rescue Squad is about 50/50.
Coach Yow, Chief Hawkins, and Director Edmundson had a great impact on Kathy’s early life and career. Coach Yow taught her about values and hard work through practice. Chief Hawkins and Director Edmundson both gave Kathy a chance in emergency services and through her hard work she proved she could do the job and helped other women see a future in emergency services. One of Kathy’s most challenging memories with the Rescue Squad was at the age of 65 completing a 3 day Winter Alpine Search & Rescue Course on Grandfather Mountain when there was 2 feet of snow on the ground and a chill factor of 20 below zero.
After almost 40 years of service you would think Kathy is ready to retire and step away from it all. But in February 2020 she stepped into the role of Chief during one of the most challenging times for health care. When COVID-19 became prevalent Kathy was just beginning her role as Chief of the Rescue Squad. The operations at the Rescue Squad had to adapt to new procedures and roles within the community while still providing transport and technical rescue services to the county. Through a collaboration with Emergency Management, the Health Department, and other Health Care Partners, the Rescue Squad was able to form a COVID Strike team to help educate nursing facility employees and provide needed assistance during outbreaks.
The Henderson County Rescue Squad has come a long way over its 63 years in existence. The relationships they have formed with EMS and the Fire Departments help to bring a better quality of service to the citizens of this community and beyond. They have been successful in combining a business of handling non-emergency transports with facilities, backing up EMS, and having a volunteer cadre that handle the technical rescues. This could not happen without the leadership of the Board of Directors and Officers, the support of the County Commissioners, the City and County Fire Departments, and the citizens of Henderson County.
The Rescue Squad is always looking for volunteers and it takes a special kind of person to put in the hours and training needed to do this line of work. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please visit their station on Thursday evenings at 6pm when they meet for training or visit their website at www.hendersoncountyrescue.org.
Prepared By:
Rhonda Chislaghi
Public Information Officer
Henderson County Rescue Squad, Inc. 828-692-3487 Station rchis@hendersoncountyrescue.org
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