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Fire department responder urges Baldwin County to improve rural access after remote rescue
Summary
At a Baldwin County Commission meeting, a fire department responder described a recent remote rescue that required carrying patients to an ambulance and transferring them to a helicopter, and urged the commission to work with landowners to improve first-response access in remote recreation areas.
A fire department responder told the Baldwin County Commission that a recent rescue in a remote area required crews to carry patients up a bank to an ambulance and then move them by dirt road to a helicopter for evacuation, and urged commissioners to work with landowners to improve access for first responders.
The responder described stretcher transfers to a helicopter and said limited access “prevents people from enjoying fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities in those areas.” The responder added, “I'm with another fire department,” when asked about the agency handling the incident.
A commissioner asked whether the North Baldwin County Sheriff's Office search-and-rescue squad had been dispatched or notified. The transcript records the question as: “Was North Baldwin Sheriff's Office rescue search and rescue? Were they dispatched or even notified?” The responder said they were not sure.
The responder recommended the commission “talk with the landowners and make something more accessible for a faster response for a first response.” No formal direction to staff or vote on access or landowner outreach was recorded in the transcript.
The exchange occurred during the meeting’s public-comment portion; county staff did not provide a dispatch or incident-confirmation during the remarks recorded in the transcript.
