Jackson County Rescue

The Jackson County Volunteer Rescue Squads are comprised of volunteers who, without any kind of compensation, 24/7, responded with EMS crews and other public safety units to emergency scenes to provide basic life support, auto extrication, missing persons searches and other services to the citizens of Jackson County. These volunteers spend their time and energy to help provide safer communities in which our citizens can live.

Areas of Focus

There are four main areas of focus utilized by this department in meeting its goals:

1. Mitigation: In the area of mitigation, the Jackson County EMA has developed a pre-disaster mitigation plan to eliminate or reduce the effects of hazards within the county. This project required a group effort between the county, the cities, the state, and non-governmental agencies so that all areas within the county remain eligible for federal mitigation funds and aid.
2. Preparedness: To meet preparedness goals we continually review our emergency operations plan and conduct exercises each year. These exercises are geared to evaluate our response capabilities and to determine what changes and improvements we need to make to meet response needs during emergencies. The department also conducts preparedness programs for the citizens and has obtained Storm Ready® status as designated by the National Weather Service
3. Response: Proper mitigation and preparedness are both critical if we are to perform well in the next area of responsibility which is response. During significant emergency events requiring multiple agency involvement, the Jackson County EMA is responsible for activating the Emergency Operations Center or "EOC" and coordinating the response. The EMA is also responsible for advising the Commission Chairman to request assistance from the State when local capabilities are overwhelmed.
4. Recovery: As soon as practical during or after response, the EMA is responsible to begin coordinating recovery activities. These activities can include requesting the establishment of a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, debris removal, restoring utilities, and rebuilding critical infrastructure and facilities. Jackson County has an accepted debris management plan.