Faulkner County emergency squad outlines plan to modernize, improve reporting and clarify funding

Faulkner County Emergency Squad leaders told the Faulkner County Quorum Court’s Courts and Public Safety Committee that the volunteer organization will pursue modernization, better data collection and closer coordination with county agencies as leadership transfers in January.

Incoming commander Jerry Clavic said the squad’s new leadership “want[s] to modernize” and to “work with the current agencies that are in Faulkner County and build a nice relationship so that we can all better serve the citizens of Faulkner County.” He said the squad plans to expand its support for search-and-rescue and to complement county drone and other programs.

The presentation matters because the squad receives both donations and a dedicated voter-approved voluntary tax; county officials and squad leaders described limits on how those funds are handled and the need for transparent reporting. Kelsey Murphy, a county staff member, said the squad’s voluntary tax is unique among local voluntary-tax items because it was placed on the ballot by initiative and “would have to go back before the people” to be changed.

Squad structure and operations Jerry Clavic described a change in leadership that will take effect in January and said the squad will perform “internal deep dives” to update processes the group considers antiquated. Squad representatives said typical responses include searches and support for volunteer fire departments, noting recent deployments to incidents north of Greenbrier and assistance during structure-fire operations with the Mayflower Fire Department.

Brandon, a squad member who spoke about training and equipment, said most members come from fire, law-enforcement, EMS or military backgrounds, must pass a background check, be age 21 or older and typically serve a six-month probationary period. He said one requirement is that new members obtain first-responder certification within the first year; additional, discipline-specific training follows as needed.

Funding, reserves and spending authority Committee members asked how the squad is funded and how money is spent. Squad leaders said funding comes from three sources: the voter-approved voluntary tax, occasional public donations from community events and the squad’s own private donations and accounts. A squad representative reported a reserve of about $435,000 in the organization’s accounts and said the group maintains a petty-cash fund for incidentals.

County staff clarified the county’s role: funds collected via the voluntary-tax checkbox are appropriated by the Quorum Court each year (staff estimated the annual appropriation at roughly $80,000 to $100,000 in past years), and the county judge has discretion to authorize use of those appropriated funds. A county staff member emphasized that the squad’s private donation accounts are separate: “the county has no involvement with their private funds. They’re a 501(c)(3), I believe.”

Squad leaders described internal procedures for spending: officers have delegated authority for some purchases and the full squad votes on larger buys at monthly meetings; the squad said major purchases are brought to the Quorum Court when required.

Data and reporting Clavic acknowledged shortcomings in recordkeeping and pledged improvements: “our data collection is lackluster and that's one of the improvements that we want to do,” he said, adding the squad plans to collect and report membership and call data to the court over time so the Quorum Court can “see the progress and prove our relevancy.” He cautioned that reporting may be slow at first as the new leadership phase begins.

Plans and next steps Squad representatives said they are ordering additional equipment and continuing training with state agencies and OEM for drills. They requested time to implement changes and indicated they will provide periodic updates to court staff as data collection improves.

Ending Committee members thanked the squad for the briefing and said they look forward to receiving the squad’s updated reports on membership, call volume and use of appropriated funds.