The Fayette County Sheriff's Emergency Rescue Team was instituted in 1973 under the direction of Sheriff Donald L. Thompson. The team was actually founded and organized by Sheriff Thompson's Chief Deputy, Robert W. McArthur.

The Sheriff's Auxiliary purchased and took delivery of the Hurst "Jaws-Of-Life" rescue tool and power unit in the fall of 1973. Soon after that, Chief McArthur was trained as a "rescue specialist" by Hurst dealer Sutphen Corp. of Amlin, Ohio. In the months to follow, Chief McArthur and Dan Sutphen began training numerous departmental personnel in the operation of the tool.

Although the original gas powered unit was replaced with a more modern and more efficient unit in the early 1990's, the original "Jaws-Of-Life" rescue tool is still in service today.

When Fayette County founded it's rescue team, it was the only rural unit of it's kind in southern Ohio, and the only  rescue unit operated solely by law enforcement personnel in the entire state. As a result, the unit was called upon by adjoining counties to do rescues at auto and truck accidents on numerous occasions. Sometimes traveling as far as 50 miles or more to do the extrication.

In December of 1983, the Sheriff's Auxiliary purchased a Hurst electric/hydraulic power unit to be mounted onboard the Sheriff's rescue truck. At the same time, a hydraulic hose reel and a model 60A hydraulic Rescue Ram was purchased.

By 1987, McArthur had been elected Sheriff of Fayette County, and deemed it necessary to restructure the rescue unit, and update the equipment and training.

Deputy Tom Rodgers and Deputy George Hellenthal were given the training to become Rescue Specialist. Since that time, both Rodgers and Hellenthal have received extensive training in heavy rescue and grain bin/pile rescue in Ohio and Kentucky.

Today the rescue unit has over $70,000 in rescue equipment. Most of which has been purchased by the Sheriff's Auxiliary and  through both corporate and individual donations.

The team is "on-call" 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week and is manned by both full time and auxiliary units of the Sheriff's Office. All members of this team respond on a voluntary basis. The dedicated officers who belong to this team receive continuous updated training on techniques of all types of rescues.

 

The following deputies currently serve on the Emergency Rescue Team

Through the cooperation and assistance of all of the Fayette County Fire Departments and the Fayette County Life Squad, the Emergency Rescue Team has logged hundreds of extrications and lives saves.  And through generous donations from local businesses and individuals, the Rescue Team has been able to provide this free service to citizens of Fayette County and the numerous people traveling through and visiting Fayette County for over 25 years.

The Sheriff's Rescue Team would like to extend it's sincere thanks and appreciation to these loyal supporters and to the other public safety agencies. We look forward to serving and working with the people of Fayette County in the years to come.

 

Questions and additional information concerning the Fayette County Emergency Rescue Team can be directed to: