Henderson County Rescue Squad

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

We’re proud to congratulate HCRS members Anthony D’Ercole and Nathan Silvers on completing NCHART INDOC training last week! 🚁

Completing this training marks an exciting step forward as they advance to become probationary NCHART Technicians, the crew members who are lowered from helicopters to the ground or into the water to reach and rescue patients in difficult-to-access locations.

Throughout the week, Anthony and Nathan trained in a variety of environments, learning the fundamentals of helicopter rescue through water operations, land-based rescues, and aerial search and rescue exercises.

08/29/2026

Henderson County Rescue Squad deployed a Mountain Search Rescue Team to assist with the search of Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. HCRS teams are also preparing to assist in search operations tomorrow.

Per Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
"Bachleda-Blaszczak is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and approximately 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is from Illinois.
Following the missing person report, Bachleda-Blaszczak’s vehicle was located in the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot. Based on the investigation to date, his last known location was the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot on Aug. 22. "

Anyone with information about Bachleda-Blaszczak’s whereabouts, or who may have seen him in or around the park, is asked to contact [email protected].

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with assistance from local agencies, continues to search for Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak, who was reported missing on the evening of Aug. 24.

Bachleda-Blaszczak is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and approximately 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is from Illinois.

Following the missing person report, Bachleda-Blaszczak’s vehicle was located in the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot. Based on the investigation to date, his last known location was the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot on Aug. 22.

A team of 47 park rangers and volunteers is actively searching areas in and around the park, with additional resources en route to assist. As the search area expands, visitors may encounter search personnel wearing brightly colored shirts both on and off established trails.

Anyone with information about Bachleda-Blaszczak’s whereabouts, or who may have seen him in or around the park, is asked to contact [email protected].

NPS Poster

08/24/2026

08/17/2026

🚨 Today’s the day! 🚨

Join us tonight at 6 p.m. for our first Open House for prospective volunteers! If you’ve ever been curious about what it’s like to volunteer with Henderson County Rescue Squad, we encourage you to drop by and learn all about the squad!

Tour the station, meet the team, ask questions, and learn more about the onboarding process for our 2027 volunteer cohort.

📍 2529 Asheville Highway
🕕 Tonight at 6 p.m.

Come see what HCRS is all about and learn how you can become part of the team!

08/15/2026

Using only hand tools, our members went back to basics for some of the same tactics Squad members relied on to remove victims from wrecked vehicles before 1972, when the Squad purchased its first 'Jaws of Life'.

This type of training is about more than learning old techniques. Before you can truly understand modern extrication equipment, you need to understand the vehicle itself - how metal moves, where it can be manipulated, and what it takes to create space around a trapped patient.

Interested in joining as a volunteer and learning these skills? Drop by at our next Open House April 17! 6pm at our station - 2529 Asheville Hwy.

08/09/2026

Have you been thinking about joining the squad as a volunteer? Just curious to see what it's all about? Now's the time! Prospective volunteers are encouraged to join us at an upcoming open house to find out more about what being a HCRS entails and about the 2027 interview and onboarding process.

Be sure to drop by our first open house is on August 17 at 6pm at our station at 2529 Asheville Hwy, Hendersonville, NC.

**Photo from training exercise**

08/02/2026

Henderson County Rescue Squad members put training to the test during a large-scale structural collapse and disaster exercise. This marks the second year the Rescue Squad has conducted a large-scale disaster exercise.

These realistic scenarios challenge our teams to conduct wide-area search operations, breach and break concrete and steel, move heavy debris, and provide extended medical care to trapped victims.

Following the lessons learned during Hurricane Helene, HCRS has continued to invest in building local disaster response capabilities. When roads are impassable and outside resources may be delayed, having highly trained rescuers and specialized equipment already in our community can make all the difference.

This exercise is more than just training, it's our commitment to ensuring Henderson County is prepared to respond when our neighbors need us most. We're incredibly proud of the dedication our members continue to show through hundreds of hours of training to strengthen our community's resilience.

08/01/2026

Last night, we held our Red Coat Ceremoney, welcoming ten new volunteer members onto the Henderson County Rescue Squad. These members took on intensive weekly training since January to learn essential rescue skills, techniques, and operations. We celebrated their graduation with a cookout at the station followed by Captains distributing official HCRS jackets to their new team members.

Welcome to the team: Mike Baer, Brian Cotton, Gareth Medvick, John Mulcahey, Jackson Newton, Kevin Roughton, Camden Shipp, Brandon Traop, James Waller, and Rob White

We also handed out medical bags to the most recent EMRs: Chis Danner, Shannon Colley, Philip Creasman, TJ Fallon, Seth Mathis, Geralyn Waters

We are so proud of all of these members for their hard work and dedication to growing their skills and serving our community! Welcome to the team!

07/29/2026

Our 2026 volunteer cohort recently began the final phase of their journey to becoming fully certified Technical Rescuers through the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal's Technical Rescuer – Ropes Rescue Technician course.

Over the coming weeks, students will build on the nearly 250 hours of training they've completed since January, mastering advanced rope rescue skills including high-angle rescue, complex rigging systems, patient packaging, mechanical advantage, and technical rescue operations in challenging environments.

This course represents the final step before earning their Technical Rescuer certification, and we couldn't be more proud of the dedication, perseverance, and teamwork these volunteers have shown throughout their training!