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Pope County honors volunteer first responders after remote rescue; state award cited
Summary
Pope County Quorum Court on April 2025 recognized volunteer EMS and rescue personnel for a remote rescue near Pedestal Rock and highlighted a statewide Star of Life award for a county responder.
Pope County officials recognized volunteer emergency responders on the Quorum Court’s April 2025 agenda after a hiker was injured in a remote area near Pedestal Rock.
The county’s EMS director, Dale Saffo, told the court the injured visitor crawled through a small opening and suffered a leg injury; Pope County EMS, the Hector response team and volunteer rescue members hiked in, carried the patient out roughly two miles to a side-by-side vehicle, then to an ambulance and ultimately transferred the patient to an air medical crew. “They don’t even get reimbursed for their gas,” Saffo said as he introduced the volunteers.
The court stood to recognize the county responders by name. Those listed during remarks included EMS members John Hannah and Brent Taylor; volunteers and rescue personnel Bob Burris, Corey Pintado, Justin Dridler, Bill Teeter and rescue-team commander Terry Tackett; Hector response participants identified as James and Hannah Donato; and other on-scene volunteers. Saffo said the rescue team was on the incident and related follow-up work for about seven hours.
The court also noted Brent Taylor was selected as a 2024 Star of Life recipient by the Arkansas emergency services organization; Saffo said Taylor was one of 34 statewide honorees and was recognized at a ceremony at the state Capitol. Saffo and other speakers praised long service by volunteers: Burris was identified as having about 35 years of service and Tackett about 40 years.
The presiding official and several justices urged public appreciation for volunteer responders and noted that the rescue involved coordinated work among county EMS, volunteer rescue teams and an air medical crew. No formal action was required or taken; the recognition was ceremonial.
The court’s remarks on the rescue occurred during unfinished business; the court then moved to new-business ordinances and announcements later in the meeting.
