Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Eastern Kentucky State Senator Honors Floyd County Rescue Squad
The Kentucky State Senate today adopted Senator Johnny Ray Turner's resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad.
The Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad was formed on April 27, 1958, in the wake of the horrific school bus crash that claimed the lives of 26 children and the bus driver. Local residents took the initiative to create emergency response capabilities in the community so that such an incident in the future would not result in such a tragic loss of life. Among the 13 Floyd Countains who took the lead in creating the squad was James Goble, who lost all three of his children in the bus crash.
The Prestonsburg School Bus Crash of 1958 is still one of the deadliest school bus crashes in United States history. Only the Carrollton Bus Crash of 1988 equals the accident. The National Safety Council calls the 1958 incident, the worst highway accident involving children in the nation's history.
"It has been 50 years since the school bus crash in Floyd County that left family members and friends with unanswered questions and it has been 50 years since the establishment of the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad," Senator Turner said. "I want to thank Captain Tim Cooley and the rescue squad for its 50 years of devoted service to the people of Floyd County and the Commonwealth."
The Senator said the establishment of the emergency and rescue squad was one great thing to rise from the tragedy.
Today, the rescue squad's 32 members participate in drills, keep up their own equipment and raising their own funds to maintain an emergency response operating posture in Prestonsburg and surrounding areas.
Senator Turner said the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad has continued for 50 years on volunteer and community support, operating on limited resources but unlimited enthusiasm for helping friends, neighbors and visitors.
The rescue squad was presented with a national emergency response award December 17, 2007, at the National Congress for Secure Communities in Washington, D.C. The all-volunteer squad was among the elite few recognized for its efforts and was joined by squads that had dealt with such disasters as Hurricane Katrina and the Minneapolis interstate bridge collapse, putting the group from Kentucky in esteemed company.
"As captain of this unique organization, I continually ask myself if I am even worthy of such a responsibility. To serve the county of Floyd as well as surrounding counties for the last 50 years on nothing more than community support, is a feat in itself," said Timothy Cooley, captain of the rescue squad. "For this rescue squad, being the first in the Commonwealth, to have the specialty training that it has been able to obtain as well as to operate on such thin financial resources and, at the same time, gain national award status, has earned rightful recognition from our wonderful state and its political leaders.
"Senator Turner as well as others understand the battle that the Floyd County Emergency and Rescue Squad has endured for over 50 years," the captain added. "For this reason, they should be proud and they are certainly willing to show it."
The Kentucky State Senate adjourned today, the 49th legislative day, in honor of the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad.
The Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad was formed on April 27, 1958, in the wake of the horrific school bus crash that claimed the lives of 26 children and the bus driver. Local residents took the initiative to create emergency response capabilities in the community so that such an incident in the future would not result in such a tragic loss of life. Among the 13 Floyd Countains who took the lead in creating the squad was James Goble, who lost all three of his children in the bus crash.
The Prestonsburg School Bus Crash of 1958 is still one of the deadliest school bus crashes in United States history. Only the Carrollton Bus Crash of 1988 equals the accident. The National Safety Council calls the 1958 incident, the worst highway accident involving children in the nation's history.
"It has been 50 years since the school bus crash in Floyd County that left family members and friends with unanswered questions and it has been 50 years since the establishment of the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad," Senator Turner said. "I want to thank Captain Tim Cooley and the rescue squad for its 50 years of devoted service to the people of Floyd County and the Commonwealth."
The Senator said the establishment of the emergency and rescue squad was one great thing to rise from the tragedy.
Today, the rescue squad's 32 members participate in drills, keep up their own equipment and raising their own funds to maintain an emergency response operating posture in Prestonsburg and surrounding areas.
Senator Turner said the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad has continued for 50 years on volunteer and community support, operating on limited resources but unlimited enthusiasm for helping friends, neighbors and visitors.
The rescue squad was presented with a national emergency response award December 17, 2007, at the National Congress for Secure Communities in Washington, D.C. The all-volunteer squad was among the elite few recognized for its efforts and was joined by squads that had dealt with such disasters as Hurricane Katrina and the Minneapolis interstate bridge collapse, putting the group from Kentucky in esteemed company.
"As captain of this unique organization, I continually ask myself if I am even worthy of such a responsibility. To serve the county of Floyd as well as surrounding counties for the last 50 years on nothing more than community support, is a feat in itself," said Timothy Cooley, captain of the rescue squad. "For this rescue squad, being the first in the Commonwealth, to have the specialty training that it has been able to obtain as well as to operate on such thin financial resources and, at the same time, gain national award status, has earned rightful recognition from our wonderful state and its political leaders.
"Senator Turner as well as others understand the battle that the Floyd County Emergency and Rescue Squad has endured for over 50 years," the captain added. "For this reason, they should be proud and they are certainly willing to show it."
The Kentucky State Senate adjourned today, the 49th legislative day, in honor of the Floyd County Emergency Rescue Squad.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 11:55 PM 
