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The Henry County Rescue Unit is one of those
organizations that is a comfort to have, but renders a service citizens
hope they never have to use. For these men deal in service, and as their
name implies, that service is usually connected with emergency or
tragedy. Their ever-ready assistance is invaluable to law enforcement
agencies in times of trouble.
It was a tragedy, a drowning at Oakland Mills, that prompted Don Leyden
and the late Don Beames to form the rescue group. Their reasoning was
that even though the populace is usually ready to offer aid and
equipment in times of emergency, it takes too much valuable time to
gather men and equipment. It was their idea to have some sort of rescue
unit equipped and as accessible as the nearest telephone.
Seven men attended that first organizational meeting in 1962; Don
Leyden, Don Beames, Dick Roach, Dick Kerr, Darrell Goddard, Vint Rankin,
and Wayne Munyon and adopted the rules and regulations for the group. At
the present time their membership numbers twenty.
Since the fall of 1962, the group has held monthly meetings on the third
Thursday of each month. Meetings vary from work meetings, when time is
spent in repairing and refurbishing equipment; discussion meetings, when
they seek to find new areas of community service, and study meetings,
when they learn new rescue techniques and first aid practices.
Beginning in November, 10 men of the Rescue Unit will start a ten-hour
first aid course under the direction of Tom Hilbrant. The course will be
conducted at the REC building.
The Rescue Unit has no regular source of funds; however, the Henry
County Board of Supervisors has approved the major portion of expenses
resulting from the loss of equipment during search operations.
The group also sponsors an annual dance for fund raising purposes, and
they have received several donations from individuals and organizations.
Thus far, the unit has assembled dragging equipment, a pickup (which was
donated) and a boat trailer. Their hope is to purchase a boat in the
near future.
Another area of community service which the group pursues is assisting
with policing and traffic jobs. Several men affiliated with the unit
have had considerable experience in these areas while in military
service and this experience has come in good stead with their work in
the rescue unit.
For example, we have heard literally hundreds of compliments on the
movement of traffic during the Old Threshers Reunion. We realize that
the law enforcement agencies worked long with Darrell Goddard in
establishing the traffic patterns. But it was the fellows from the
Rescue Unit under the supervision of traffic officer Fred Combs who
really kept those vehicles moving.
Like several others, we made return trips through certain intersections
just to see them in action, and wished that Alan Funt and his Candid
Camera might add them to his library of traffic officers in action.
The Rescue Unit has contracted for the policing of high school football
games this fall and are paid by the school for their work, thus adding
to their treasury, and the possibility of more and better equipment.
Fortunately, during the past five years they have had but few calls for
rescue work. The unit spent many long hours, as did other groups,
searching for little Mike Haynes, who disappeared from his home at
Oakland Mills this past summer. The child was never found.
Officers of the group are Richard McAllister, president, and Vint
Rankin, secretary-treasurer. We naturally hope that their activities
continue to be in the area of assisting law enforcement agencies rather
than the purpose for which they were organized. But in case of
emergencies, they are prepared to serve and well.
(“The Mount Pleasant News”, September 23, 1967, page 2)
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