Eastern Shore launches All-Volunteer Technical Rescue Team

The Eastern Shore officially has a Technical Rescue Team — but what exactly does that mean?

A Technical Rescue Team is a specially trained unit within the fire service equipped to handle complex rescues, such as those involving high-angle rope operations or confined space entry.

Mike Rydberg, Fire Chief of Onancock, has been working for years to bring such a team to the Shore.

“Around here, there’s no department that can handle these incidents alone,” Rydberg said.

He recalled a 2023 incident in New Church, where a man was overcome by fumes while cleaning the inside of a tractor-trailer. A second individual who attempted to help was also overcome. The emergency call was classified as an “unconscious person,” which often signals a situation requiring lifting assistance — but, Rydberg noted, many responders lack the training and equipment needed for these dangerous scenarios.

According to Rydberg, approximately 65% of victims or rescuers in these types of incidents end up as fatalities due to inadequate training, lack of atmospheric monitoring, or insufficient equipment.

To address the need, Rydberg collaborated with fire departments in Greenbackville, Chincoteague, Onancock, and Accomack County. With support from Accomack County, the Perdue Foundation, and the Town of Onancock, the team acquired specialized rescue equipment.

“We recently purchased $98,000 worth of equipment to serve the entire Shore,” he said. “The gear, located on Rescue 9, includes a Heavy Vehicle Extrication Kit from Paratech. Each strut can lift and support up to 80,000 pounds, allowing us to stabilize and remove heavy vehicles or objects from around trapped individuals.”

Currently, twelve trained members are on the roster, but more volunteers are needed to serve both Accomack and Northampton Counties. Fire service personnel from any department on the Shore are eligible to apply.

“The Shore doesn’t have a lot of volunteers, so it’s tough to find people willing to commit to the training,” Rydberg said. “C. Ray Pruitt from Accomack County Emergency Management has been instrumental in securing funding for a training center and bringing in Spec Rescue, Inc., a third-party training provider.”

Training is scheduled to begin after July 1, and Rydberg hopes to grow the team to at least 25 members.

The team currently includes Ladder 9 from Onancock, Truck 2 from Greenbackville, and Ladder 3 from Chincoteague — all of which will respond to technical rescue calls.

“There are seven other regions in Virginia with teams like this,” Rydberg added. “Ours is the only one managed by a combined department, and the only all-volunteer managed team in the state.”