Dang good question

A few days ago in the Stones River a man drowned after the boat he and two others where in sunk. 911 was called and the rescue services were sent in, but now questions are being asked about why some where not.

The accident occurred in Smyrna and Smyrna has the Smyrna Rescue Squad...but instead the Rutherford County Special Operations Team from Murfreesboro was called in. There are no accusation that this puzzling slight against the rescue squad could have changed the outcome, but it does raise questions in my mind on how the rescue squad is viewed.

SMYRNA, Tenn. -- Smyrna Rescue Squad Chief David Manning said his phone started ringing Tuesday with people asking the same question.

"We have drag bars on all the boats for recoveries. We have a dive platform for divers," said Manning. "Why we were not out at West Fork Boat Ramp searching and looking for the gentleman?"
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"If we are not familiar with their safety training or their dive training, in this case, then we are not going to put them at risk," said Randy White, Rutherford County EMS/EMA spokesman. "This is a very dangerous job."

Smyrna Rescue said they have an underwater camera as well.

"It's not just a toy we bought to play with down here; we bought it to put to work," said Manning. "They just look at us like we are volunteers, and yet they say they are paid professionals. Well, we are all professional down here, too."

Smyrna Rescue has about 30 volunteers, they said, with more than 400 years of service. They receive some funding from Rutherford County and hold fundraising events to supplement that.

The rescue squad is volunteers...that does not mean amateurs. I think a few harsh questions should be asked of the ones who made the call on who to send and why the rescue squad was not part of the call out.

You might remember the rescue squad being in the news a couple of years ago when their building was almost sold out from under them so a local church could have more parking spots. This did not go down well with one town council member or ANY of the rescue squad members. This ended up with the town giving the Rescue Squad a lease (PDF COPY)that lasts until April 2017 because of the bad feeling and feedback.

I hope this service and tradition does not get dismissed in the quest to have a more professional system in the services we provide. The people make up the town and ones who get involved are hard to find. Do not push them to the side.