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Mountain Park Rescue Squad presents 'Operation Reanchor,' seeks volunteer-first approach and funding to build station
Summary
Mountain Park Rescue Squad chief Austin Love presented 'Operation Reanchor' to the Surry County Board of Commissioners, urging investment in volunteer support services rather than solely paid staffing; the squad also reported $190,000 in state grant funding and a $25,000 OSBM grant toward a new four-bay station the group hopes to build.
Austin Love, chief of Mountain Park Rescue Squad and president of the Surry County Association of Rescue Squads, presented to the Surry County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 21 a portfolio of proposals aimed at bolstering volunteer recruitment and retention and described plans for a new station funded in part by state grants.
Love framed volunteer shortages and declining availability as symptoms of broader community issues and urged the board to prioritize “wraparound” volunteer support—such as tutoring, fitness and mental-health support, or other individualized services—rather than relying principally on paid staffing to maintain rescue capacity. He said the squad’s initiatives include visibility campaigns, a stipend pilot for medical calls, development of auxiliary and administrative volunteer roles, and an expanded volunteer-first budget to prioritize people-based supports.
On funding and facilities, Love reported Mountain Park Rescue Squad was awarded $190,000 from the Volunteer Rescue Capital Improvement Grant administered by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and an additional $25,000 through an OSBM direct grant associated with Senator Settle. Love said the squad has acquired property and is planning a four-bay metal building with an attached meeting room; he said the group is aiming to keep total project costs under $500,000 and believes final cost could be near $400,000. Love said the grant program has a March 1 deadline for certain state requirements and that the squad will continue fundraising, apply to foundations and explore financing to cover the remainder.
Love described prior outreach efforts, including a door-to-door campaign and a ‘‘support your squads’’ analysis that identified demographic and socioeconomic obstacles to volunteering—factors such as a sparse population, multiple jobs per household, caregiving responsibilities, educational barriers, and health/fitness limitations. He said those findings led the squad to focus on a broader community-anchoring strategy and on building local engagement to sustain volunteer ranks.
Commissioners responded positively to the presentation, praising the outreach and the focus on volunteer development; several asked for updates on the structure, timeline and financing. Love said the squad will convene a special board meeting to refine the building budget and that ground-breaking is possible this year if financing and deadlines align. No board action was taken on the presentation; commissioners thanked Love and the squads for their service.
