Todd County pauses rescue squad affiliation pending bylaw, training and equipment review

The Todd County Fiscal Court voted April 24 to pause its affiliation with the local rescue squad while the court reviews the squad’s bylaws, standard operating guidelines, inventories and training records.

County emergency management staff urged the pause after at least two formal complaints and an incident following a train-truck overturn in Trenton. The emergency manager told the court the squad’s governing documents and operating procedures were “not in compliance with the Fins Neck Command System,” and recommended suspension of the affiliation until those deficiencies are corrected.

The pause is temporary, the emergency manager said, and is intended to reduce legal and operational risk to the fiscal court until paperwork and training can be brought up to current standards. “We are not disbanding the rescue squad. We are not dissolving the rescue squad,” the emergency manager said during the meeting. “This is a pause.”

The county attorney confirmed she had reviewed the affiliation agreement, bylaws and SOGs and found legal deficiencies that need correction before the agreement can be re‑entered. She told the court those deficiencies would likely require rescission of the current affiliation agreement and preparation of a new, legally sufficient agreement.

Judge (presiding) said he prefers the court act together on the decision and made a motion to pause the affiliation; the motion carried on a voice vote with members saying “aye.” The emergency manager said she would assemble a plan and recommended appointing a former rescue squad chief—William Randolph—to serve as an adviser to work with squad officers and technical staff to update documents and inventory.

Court members said the pause does not stop squad members from training, but it does suspend the squad from responding to calls under the county affiliation until the documentation and training are current. Fire department representatives told the court they support returning the rescue squad to full service once standards are met but do not expect to assume primary vehicle-extrication responsibilities long term.

Next steps the court outlined include: (1) a short, two‑week to one‑month window to convene squad leadership, review and update bylaws and SOGs, and inventory equipment; (2) a legal review and formal rescission/replacement of the affiliation agreement if required; and (3) a follow-up report to the fiscal court outlining corrective actions and a recommended timeline for returning the squad to call status. The court did not set a definitive deadline other than the near-term target the emergency manager discussed at the meeting.

The court’s action was procedural and did not involve disbanding the squad or terminating personnel, the emergency manager emphasized. The court said it would provide the squad with a clear path to resume affiliation once compliance items are verified.