Water/Dive Rescue Team

 

The Marrs Twp Water/Dive Rescue Team was organized in 1995 after an incident in the town of Mount Vernon in which a 10 year old boy had drowned. After that incident a group of Firefighters from Marrs Township and Black Township Fire and Rescue Departments decided to put together a Water/Dave Rescue Team to service the surrounding areas.

Both departments developed their own respective teams shortly after that time, after assessing the individual needs of their areas.

The areas of Marrs Township and Black Township are bordered by many miles of river bank from the Ohio and Wabash Rivers, not to mention the the numerous streams, ponds, and lakes.

Both departments started their respective teams with very little funding, and the members of the departments purchasing their own dive equipment. A used ambulance was purchased, and with little money and a large amount of teamwork, sweat, and time, it was made operational and put into service. It was an uphill struggle all the way.

Over the past 20 years, there have been many changes in the fire service. New recruits would join to fight fires, where as today, more than 75% of the runs made are medical and very few are for fire. Some years we have had more Water/Dive runs than structure fire runs.

One thing that has not grown with the Water/Dive Rescue Team was the ambulance that was used to transport our personnel and equipment to the scene. The ambulance had become a maintenance nightmare and was no longer capable of serving the needs of the Water/Dive Rescue Team and the community and was in need of replacement. A new Dive Rescue truck (9 Rescue 10) was designed in 2006, and was delivered in late July of 2007.

We have seen a rising interest in the Water Rescue Service from the new members that have joined and with the proper training have prepared them for the services they will be providing.

Over the 20 year time frame that the team has been in operation, we have seen a lot of progress and changes. We have made many great strides and have grown into one of the premiere Water/Dive Rescue Teams in the area. We have been called to assist in many parts of the Tri-State area, from Central Indiana, to Illinois and Kentucky. We have mutual aid agreements with Ohio Valley Search and Rescue and the surrounding departments. 

When called upon for assistance with a water incident or search, we are one of the first on the list to be called due to our professionalism, commitment, and pride we take when we put our team on or near the water.

 

Your Marrs Township Water Rescue Team In Action!!!

Category: Info Pages

 

 

Come visit our stations!!

 

 

We are located at:

Station 1 - 3030 S St Phillips Road

Station 2 - 5460 Ford Road. 

 

Click on the image above to be directed to our contact page, and fill out the Contact Form to have us make a sign for you.

 

 

 

Your $52 Annual Donation – Just $1 a Week,

Makes a Difference and Saves Lives.

 

 

As we presented in our 2018 Newsletter, community donations funded the purchase of life-saving Zoll ResQPump ACD-CPR Devices to equip five of our trucks last year. Your Marrs Township Volunteer Fire Department was an early adopter of these cutting edge CPR devices designed to improve survival from cardiac arrest. The Zoll ResQPump allows the rescuer to perform active compression-decompression CPR, which promotes complete and active chest recoil. Early results are in: Since your Marrs Township Volunteer Fire Department added these devices last year, we have had two patients who, upon arrival by our first responders, had no pulse. They were resuscitated using the Zoll Pump and had a pulse when we arrived at the hospital, giving them the best possible chance at survival. Your donation helps make purchases like this possible.

 

 

This year, Marrs is once again at the forefront, this time in firefighter safety. Department Captain Floyd Hines, who oversees our firefighter personal equipment, has spearheaded our transition to new jet-style firefighting helmets. Our current helmets are over 15 years old and due for replacement. The new helmets have a much different look, are lighter weight, lower profile and more comfortable, all of which helps the firefighter performance. We were able to help beta test these helmets before their release and provide feedback to the manufacturer. The helmets are now approved by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). The jet-style design of the Cairns® XF1 Fire Helmet reduces snag hazards, provides a personalized fit, and houses its own integrated light module. Plus, the soft goods are removable, washable, and replaceable, helping firefighters align with cancer awareness programs as written by the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. We have Purchased eight so far. With your support, we will continue to convert to the new styles as funds become available.

 

 

Thank you for your annual donation. The donations do indeed help us save lives and protect our volunteer firefighters, making a real difference right here in our Marrs Township community. Donated funds will go towards the update of Rescue 1 in the upcoming years. Rescue 1 is a 1999 Ford Rescue Truck and the second oldest in the fleet. It will be updated like Rescue 7 was two years ago with an estimated cost of $175,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interested in joining?

See what it takes to become a firefighter.

Watch some of our firefighters go through the training process.

 

 

 

Category: Info Pages

Our Mission Statement

"Saving Lives and Property through Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services"

Marrs Township Fire Department Line Officers

9A1 Rick Williamson Chief EMT 34 Years Of Service
9A2 Andy Harbison Assistant Chief First Responder/Dive Rescue Team 11 Years Of Service
9A3 Keith Damm Assistant Chief First Responder/Dive Rescue Team 23 Years Of Service
9A4 Larry Schenk District Chief First Responder 45 Years Of Service
9A5 Jay Hile District Chief EMT/Dive Rescue Team 17 Years Of Service
9A6 Matt Hulsey District Chief First Responder/Dive Rescue Team 10 Years Of Service
9A7 David Simmons Captain EMT 6 Years Of Service
9A8 Dan Jordan Captain EMT 9 Years Of Service
9A9 Floyd Hines Captain EMT/Dive Rescue Team 11 Years Of Service
9A10 Bill Goff Captain EMT/Dive Rescue Team 5 Years Of Service
9A11 Robert Stuffle Captain EMT/Dive Rescue Team 9 Years Of Service
9A12 Cody Reese Lieutenant EMT 2 Years Of Service
9A14 Jacob Zoch Lieutenant EMT 4 Years Of Service
         

 

Marrs Township Fire Department Volunteers

9X15        
9X16 Tim Peterson Firefighter   3 Years Of Service
9X17 Andy Logan Firefighter First Responder/Dive Rescue Team 32 Years Of Service
9X18 Dylan Hile Firefighter   New Member
9X19 Jonathan Chamness Firefighter   1 Year Of Service
9X20 John Montgomery   Dive Rescue Team 20 Years Of Service
9X21 Tyler Sprinkel  Firefighter    3 Years Of Service
9X22 Gayle Schmidt Firefighter EMT 3 Years Of Service
9X23 Bryan Schmitt    Dive Rescue Team  8 Years Of Service
9X25 Amy Woodley EMS  EMT 5 Years Of Service
9X26 Brandon Woodley  Firefighter  EMT  10 Years Of Service
9X27 Kris Scott   EMT/Dive Rescue Team New Member 
9X28 Jeff Bassemeier Firefighter    13 Years Of Service 
9X29 Rick Roos  Firefighter  EMT  23 Years Of Service
9X30        
9X31 Lisa Hines      3 Years Of Service
9X32        
9X33 Matt Anderson     3 Years Of Service
9X34 Steven Lupfer Firefighter EMT 7 Years Of Service
9X35 John Schmidt Firefighter   8 Years Of Service
9X36 Nick Raber   Dive Rescue Team 2 Years Of Service
9X37        
9X38 Patrick Fischer Firefighter   17 Years Of Service
9X39        
9X40        
9X41        
9X42 Justin Crowley Firefighter   7 Years Of Service
9X43        
9X44        
9X45 Dale Wilzbacher Firefighter EMT 40 Years Of Service
9X46 Sandra Hile     2 Years Of Service
9X47 Joe Mayer Firefighter Investigator 5 Years Of Service
9X48 Payge Marx Firefighter EMT 4 Years Of Service
9X49 Josh Lunceford Firefighter    
9X50 Alex Jordan Firefighter EMS 2 Years Of Service
9C20 Mike Hile Cadet     
9C21   Cadet    
9C22   Cadet    

Marrs Township Fire Department Staff

9A91        
9A92 Patrick Fischer Firefighter   17 Years Of Service
9A93 Brandon Woodley Firefighter EMT 10 Years Of Service
9A94 Alex Smith Firefighter EMT 10 Years Of Service
9A95 Rick Roos  Firefighter EMT 23 Years Of Service
9A96 Matt Hulsey Firefighter   10 Years Of Service
9A97 Jacob Zoch Firefighter EMT 4 Years Of Service
9A98 David Simmons Firefighter   6 Years Of Service
9A99 Dale Wilzbacher Firefighter EMT 40 Years Of Service

 

                  

                          

             

Category: Info Pages

Mission Statement

To support and be of assistance to the Marrs Township Volunteer Fire Department whenever possible. 

 

The members of the Ladies Auxiliary will pursue their mission statement through activities supporting the fiscal, public service, and response support needs of the Marrs Township Volunteer Fire Department Firefighters, EMS, and Divers.

Working toward this goal, the Ladies Auxiliary will provide service and assistance by being involved in activities such as, but not limited to, the following:

 

Respond to request for assistance during fires and other situations that require the MTVFD personnel to be on scene for an extended period of time.

Initiate community service outreach programs.

Provide fundraising efforts for Ladies Auxiliary and Marrs Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Open and maintain communication with neighboring Ladies Auxiliary boards for partnering and learning purposes.

Support fellow fire department members and/or families in times of need or crisis

Actively recruit new members for the Marrs Township Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

Category: Info Pages

The Marrs Township Fire Department has run a cadet program for many years. Several of

our cadets expressed interest in a program while their parents were department members,

so the department formed a cadet program to teach the youth of our community the skills

needed to be firefighters. After a few years in the program, a cadet can become a

member of the fire department, having already accumulated countless hours of training.

 

The cadets participate in several training sessions each year, and also provide rehab to

our department members during fire runs. We are in need of new cadets, so if you are

interested in learning to fight fires, applications are available on this web site.

 

Join the department today.

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