I just had someone knock on my door from I think the Anderson County Rescue squad - I was on the phone, so I kindly declined, but I know that a similarly named group, Roane County Rescue Squad, comes by annually for donations. Just curious if anyone knows who they are and if they are legit - do they provide any real service to Oak Ridge residents?
A rescue squad is very legitimate. They provide services all over counties. They would provide a service to an Oak Ridge resident say, oh if one were in an accident and pinned in on Dutch Valley Road, they would be the one to cut you out. Or if you had a loved one drown on Melton Hill they would be out looking for the body.
Donate upon presentment of proper credentials. It is a good and needed thing, strictly volunteers.
I have a lot of respect for these folks -- and not only those in Anderson and Roane Counties.
I deal with them in a professional capacity on practically a daily (or nightly) basis when I'm working.
You probably have friends who would drop everything at the drop of a hat to come and help you if you had an accident. These folks routinely do that ... and they don't know who it is will need their help. In my experience, it's usually weirdos and other no-accounts who've wrapped their car around a tree or utility pole or run their motorcycle over an embankment or other such nonsense, ofttimes after having one too many.
Still, they are overwhelmingly volunteers; they help without judging (unlike me) -- and they spend a considerable amount of their own time and money for training, equipment and supplies that we folks used to city life take for granted.
In my opinion, they're "salt of the Earth" types that this world has too few of, and they deserve all the help we can give them.
Thanks to you both - good stuff to know. I really wasn't sure either way - I just assumed that our fire and police departments handled such matters.