The Sixties

Within two years, the Squad changed its name from Hendersonville VFW Rescue Squad to the Hendersonville Rescue Squad and started allowing non-military veterans to join the ranks. The basic requirement to be a member was American Red Cross Advanced First Aid. Neal Grissom was charged with instructing the courses. To reach the Squad, citizens would call Oxford 3-4211 and a police dispatcher would call a few select members that would then alert the rest of the Squad.

During this period the Squad was charged with Civil Defense in Henderson County. They dazzled dignitaries and civic groups with their state of the art “10-Ton Port-A-Power”. The majority of the rescue equipment was manufactured by the Squad Members themselves. The Rescue Squad was also instrumental in the creation of the WNC Rescue Association, being one of four charter members.

The Piedmont 22 Crash - 1967

Minutes before noon on July 19, 1967, tragedy unfolded 6,000 feet above the current intersection of Hwy 64 and I-26 in Henderson County. The result left 82 people dead and our small community, shaken to its core, rising to meet the needs of both victims and survivors. A giant plume of smoke rose from the crash site as the county’s firefighters, law enforcement officers, and rescue squad personnel rushed to the scene.

Grady Walker of the Henderson County Rescue Squad (HCRS) lived off Orr’s Camp Road near Camp Pinewood and witnessed the collision. He ran to the camp, directing campers to get away from the crash and take cover as secondary explosions erupted. His quick action, along with that of several counselors at the camp, was credited with shielding the young campers from danger.

Thomas Conner, another rescue squad volunteer, was about half a mile away in his yard when his son said “Daddy, look, those planes are going to crash.” Conner also rushed to the scene. He would later equate what he saw to the horrors he had witnessed in the Pacific during World War II.

A joint effort of multiple county fire departments would extinguish the inferno within 30 minutes of the crash. Rescue squad members began the grim task of searching the dense smoke-filled woods for survivors but it quickly became apparent that there was none. The rescue squad’s experience with civil defense training made the squad the logical choice to take the lead in the recovery effort. This included setting up a command post and Red Cross canteen at Camp Pinewood, and sending out a call though the NC Association of Rescue Squads for personnel and equipment. Over 400 rescue squad volunteers from North and South Carolina responded.

Once on scene, they searched the wreckage for passengers’ remains, which they tagged and covered with white sheets. The next task was to carry the deceased to awaiting ambulances and hearses to be transported to a temporary morgue set up at the North Carolina National Guard Armory. The rescue workers - almost all volunteers - worked around the clock for five days to clear the scene. Hendersonville Times-News Editor Mead Parce recalled, “A priest and ministers walked among the dead. In two hours after the crash rescue workers had lived a week”.

The Seventies and Eighties

1972- Formal name change to the Henderson County Rescue Squad

In the 1970s, motor vehicle accidents was increasing exponentially though out the nation and Henderson County wasn’t exempt from these incidents. The squad members found themselves responding to increased numbers of accidents where patients needed to be freed from the crushed metal entangling them into their vehicles. Prior to the 1975 the Squad would use hand tools and air chisels to free occupants, but they knew that the time this took wasn’t fast enough. The answer came from a small automotive company in Shelby NC who was making a new tool called the Jaws of Life. The Squad purchased a new 32A model spreader with chains and cutting attachment. This new tool was one of the first Jaws of Life in WNC and quickly accelerated the Squads ability to rescue those 'Pinned- In' vehicles.

Also with the establishment of the NC Office of EMS in 1973 the Rescue Squad would have some of the first certified EMTs in Henderson County. These EMT’s would be trained in state of the art emergency procedures and respond to individuals in need. The Squad also started medical stand-bys at all high school’s football games a tradition that continues on autumn Friday Nights still today.

The Rescue Squad would also improve their capabilities by developing new techniques in ropes and water rescue. In 1978 the Rescue Squad employed divers for the first time during a drowning in Lake Summit because the traditional way of dragging for victims wouldn’t work since the subject was trapped in a car. Two local Divers Steve Shepherd and Neal Carter would attach a cable to the car to be pulled out.

Herman Hawkins a legendary Rescue Squad Captain would lead the Squad in the early 80’s. His passion and dedication to service would be an example for members’ years to come. Once on a vehicle accident Hawkins was hit by a passing car it through him several feet breaking his helmet he would finish the rescue before seeking medical care for a concussion today an award is given in his honor to the volunteer that “goes above and beyond the call of duty”.

During the 70’s the Squad would obtain their first All-Terrain Vehicle. In the 1980’s the Squad would form the high alert team with members that had special training in mountain and ropes rescue. Also in 1982 the Rescue Squad would vote on its first female member Kathy Morgan a local educator she is currently and active rescuer 35 years later, today the Squad is 50% female.