Community volunteers providing community service

It is an all volunteer group of citizens making a difference in their community as members of an advanced life support, non transport emergency medical service and rescue squad.

It is a two-year-old non profit organization that recently received a financial boost through the generosity and corporate citizenship of All In Credit Union.

Dale EMS and Rescue Squad relies on donations, grants and fundraisers to pay for utilities, restocking equipment, vehicle maintenance, fuel and insurance, said founding member Kevin Turley, who serves as captain of the all-volunteer squad. “The squad was the recent recipient of a much-appreciated $34,620 All In Credit Union grant.”

“In 2020, our Board of Directors made a commitment to donate $100,000 from our Helping Hands Foundation to enhance the lives of others in a way that exemplifies the credit union philosophy of ‘People Helping People,’” said All In Board Chairman Charlie Mingus. “This is in addition to the many sponsorships and donations made throughout the year to local schools, sports and charities.”

“When developing this project, one of our objectives was to provide funds to organizations whose dreams exceed their existing capital,” said All In Credit Union President Bobby Michael. “Through a rigorous application and interview process, the organizations selected displayed a compelling case to be chosen as one of our grant recipients.”

“This grant will allow us to purchase a training mannequin that allows us to train with our advanced airways—King Airways—IVs, automated external defibrillator and more,” Turley said. “We will use this mannequin in our in-house training and our regular training with our partners at South Dale EMS which is the advanced life support ambulance service we have an automatic mutual aid agreement with.

“The grant also allows us to purchase a newer monitor and additional equipment that will greatly assist our community,” he added.

“In the summer of 2018 a group of volunteer first responders saw a need to improve emergency medical services in the communities of Newton and Pinckard,” Turley said, explaining how it all began. “In July 2018, those volunteers sat down at the dinner table of McLins Restaurant in Daleville and formed Dale EMS and Rescue Squad.”

Once incorporated, the squad worked to become operational and became a licensed Advanced Life Support Level 2, Advanced EMT ambulance service the first of January 2019. “We answered our first call for service soon thereafter,” he said. “Our initial coverage area was the Town of Newton and the Town of Pinckard.

“When Dale EMS and Rescue Squad was formed, we created a seven-member board of directors to help manage the day-to-day operations and to divide up roles and responsibilities,” Turley said. “The board of directors is elected by the active membership of the squad and serve two year terms, staggered so we will have continuity on the board.” All members are active members with the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads.

A former medic in the United States Air Force Reserves, Turley is an instructor for multiple courses and is responsible for the day to day operations of the Dale EMS and Rescue Squad.  A licensed emergency medical professional since 1997, Turley is currently a nationally registered and state licensed Advanced Emergency Medical Technician.

Squad First Lt. Cheyenne Turley is a founding member of Dale EMS and Rescue Squad. She is currently a nationally registered and state licensed Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and a lifetime member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. Cheyenne Turley is also an active member of the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads. She is an instructor for multiple courses and served as the elected secretary on the board of directors. She was elected to the position of first lieutenant in 2019.

Also a founding member of the Dale EMS and Rescue Squad, Second Lt. George Siegler first served on the squad as a sergeant.

Sergeant Chris Blocker is a founding members of the squad and had been an active volunteer in his community before helping form Dale EMS and Rescue Squad.

Board secretary is Terri German and treasurer is Alicia Taylor. Chaplain Candice Marchand’s role is to look out for the well being of all squad members and those they serve.

“After incorporation, the quest to assemble the needed equipment began immediately,” Kevin Turley said. “From July until December 2018, equipment was ordered and organized.

“The organization became a member of the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads and became involved with the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians,” he added. “Shortly after the new year of 2019, the first ambulance call was run.

“Dale EMS and Rescue Squad was a licensed advanced life support ambulance service. No taxes were used to fund the service and the service had never charged for its services,” Kevin Turley said, adding that with volunteers having full time jobs and an ambulance with mechanical problems, the squad had a decision to make. “The squad voted to switch from being a transport service to an advanced life support non-transport service which enables the squad to provide mutual aid and to focus more on the search and rescue mission of the service,” he explained. “The squad continues to be a member in good standing with the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads and works closely with South Dale EMS who provides advanced life support ambulance service to Newton, Pinckard, Midland City and Napier Field.

“We provide automatic Advanced Life Support 2 mutual aid to them when available and we provide regular training with one another,” Kevin Turley said. “We have a common goal to provide the best possible service to our fellow citizens.”

“This change allows us to staff when possible and to provide advanced life support assistance to the area,” he added. “We entered into an automatic mutual aid agreement with South Dale EMS in January 2020. We also have a mutual aid agreement with the Houston County Rescue Unit and the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads.”

Kevin Turley said that the membership owns the squad. “I truly believe in my heart that because of that the people work harder,” he said. “It really warms your heart when you see people helping people.

“Some people think that if you are not EMT you can’t help,” Kevin Turley said. “That’s not true.

“There are other needs, the mechanical things for example,” he said. “I wish that I could get that message out to the citizens. I’d love to have more paramedics but there is also the need for search and rescue personnel and people who can help with maintenance.

Citizens who wish to volunteer with Dale EMS and Rescue Squad can be eligible to receive tuition reimbursement upon earning their EMT, Advanced EMT, or Paramedic license, Kevin Turley said. “You do not have to reside in our coverage area to participate with us. You can also work at another EMS agency and still be a member of Dale EMS and Rescue Squad.”

In addition to regular in house training, the members of the squad attend training at the Alabama Association of Rescue Squads Annual Conference which includes EMS and rescue training.

“The year 2020 was a unique year for all of us but the power of prayer and perseverance has paid off,” Kevin Turley said. “We have made it to 2021. We will continue to press forward to do what we can for our neighbors.”

The Dale EMS and Rescue Squad meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. For more information on Dale EMS and Rescue Squad, visit DaleEMS.org.