Blount County Rescue Squad

09/04/2026

⭐ Leadership Recognition – Assistant Chief Ed Bendix ⭐

We would like to take a moment to recognize and congratulate Assistant Chief Ed Bendix, who stepped into his leadership role with Blount County Rescue Squad earlier this summer.

Ed brings an incredible amount of knowledge, training, and real-world experience to BCRS. He spent 25 years in the Fire service before retiring as Captain. His extensive experience includes incident management, search and rescue, hazardous materials, rope rescue, and confined-space rescue.

Today, Ed continues to serve as an active member on our BSORT team and is also involved with the Knox/East Tennessee Healthcare Coalition.

One of the things we especially appreciate about Ed is his willingness to encourage and invest in others. As a former Eagle Scout himself, Ed has been an encouragement to the Scouts within BCRS — including one of our members who is currently working toward earning his Eagle Scout rank. His willingness to share his experience and support others is another example of the leadership he brings to our organization.

We are grateful to have Ed serving as Assistant Chief and appreciate the experience, dedication, and leadership he continues to bring to BCRS.

Thank you, Assistant Chief Bendix, for your continued service to BCRS and our community! Congratulations!! 🎉 🚨

08/28/2026

🚨Check this out!!!

Demeko, who attends Carpenters Elementary School in Maryville, captured our recent training event. A huge thanks to his proud aunt for sharing these drawings. Maybe Demeko will be a future rescue squad member? We love the pictures, Demeko!! Keep up the amazing work!!! Thank you!!

08/27/2026

🚨🚤 HELP US BRING OUR NEW DIVE RESCUE BOAT HOME! 🚨🚤 PLEASE SHARE

Blount County Rescue Squad is working toward the purchase of a new 22-foot water rescue and dive boat—a major upgrade that will help our crews respond more safely and effectively when every minute matters.

💰 Goal: $165,000
❤️ Raised: Approximately $73,000
🎯 Still Needed: Approximately $92,000

Much of our progress has been made possible through the Gary Lindsey Memorial Fishing Tournament and the incredible support behind it.

Our teams respond to approximately 32 water-related calls each year, and there have already been 13 fatalities on Tennessee waters in 2026. Having dependable, purpose-built equipment is essential for the safety of both our responders and the people we serve.

Every donation—large or small—gets us one step closer to putting this much-needed boat on the water and into service.

💙 Want to help us reach our goal? Donate here:
https://bcrs.org/donate-to-bcrs

Please donate, share, and help us spread the word!

Blount County Rescue Squad

08/25/2026

The members of the Blount County Rescue Squad are deeply saddened by the passing of East Tennessee’s own, Dolly Parton. 🕊️

Dolly was so much more than a country music legend. She was a daughter of the Smoky Mountains whose kindness, generosity, faith, and love for her community touched countless lives here at home and around the world.

From bringing joy through her music to giving back to the people and communities she loved, Dolly never forgot where she came from. East Tennessee has lost one of its brightest lights, but the legacy she leaves behind will continue for generations.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Parton family, her friends, the Dollywood family, our neighbors in Sevier County, and everyone mourning this tremendous loss.

Rest easy, Dolly. East Tennessee will never be the same without you. ❤️‍🩹

January 19, 1946 – August 25, 2026

— Blount County Rescue Squad

08/25/2026

08/19/2026

🚨 TRAINING TOGETHER. PREPARING TOGETHER. SERVING TOGETHER. 🚨

BCRS was proud to join several of our area’s emergency response partners today for a multi-agency training exercise focused on teamwork, communication, and preparedness.

Exercises like this give agencies the opportunity to train side-by-side before the real call comes in—strengthening the partnerships that help us better serve Blount County and our surrounding communities.

Here’s a look at today’s training from BCRS Junior Squad Director Andy Moffitt:

“Members of BCRS participated in a multi-agency simulated emergency exercise with the Tennessee National Guard, National Park Service, BUSAR, AMR Ambulance Service and Townsend Area Volunteer Fire Department. Training focused on simulated medical treatment of injured hikers, patient packaging, ambulance exchange and ground & air evacuation. This exercise was a valuable opportunity to work alongside our sister agencies, sharpen our treatment and interoperability skills in support of Blount and surrounding counties!”

A huge thank you to our team who represented BCRS today, Tennessee National Guard, National Park Service, BUSAR, AMR, Townsend Area Volunteer Fire Department, and everyone who helped organize and participate in today’s exercise. We’re grateful for the opportunity to train alongside such dedicated agencies and individuals. It takes all of us working together to better prepare for the moments when our communities need us most. 🚨🤝

08/18/2026

Please share this announcement in regard to a simulated training exercise in Townsend that will take place Wednesday, August 19 beginning at 9 a.m. and going throughout the day.

08/17/2026

🎈Medical Standby at the Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival!!🎈

What a great day to be out serving our community on Saturday!! Members of the Blount County Rescue Squad provided medical standby during the Hot Air Balloon Festival, helping ensure attendees, vendors, and participants had medical assistance available if needed.

A huge thank you to our members who volunteered their time, the nursing students who assisted our members, and KETHC for all of their assistance to help make our first year at this event successful.

Also, thank you to our community!!! Without your support, this would not be possible!! 🚨🚨

08/15/2026

🚨🚨🌟 Recognizing Support Captain Kaylee Costner 🌟🚨🚨

We want to take a moment to recognize Kaylee Costner for the incredible commitment, heart, and dedication she continues to give to Blount County Rescue Squad.

From June 2024 through July 2026, Kaylee served as our Junior Squad Director, investing her time into encouraging, teaching, and helping develop the next generation of rescuers. Her dedication to our junior members has made a lasting impact, and we are incredibly thankful for everything she poured into that program.

While one chapter has closed, another has already begun as Kaylee now serves as our Support Captain. ❤️

Kaylee is truly a huge asset to BCRS. She is someone who steps up when needed, supports our members, works hard behind the scenes, and genuinely cares about this organization and the people in it. The time, energy, and heart she gives do not go unnoticed.

In addition to her leadership role, Kaylee is also one of our divers and an active part of BSORT, further demonstrating her commitment to serving our community in multiple critical capacities.

Leadership isn’t just about a title—it’s about showing up, serving others, and making the people around you better. Kaylee does exactly that.

Thank you, Kaylee, for everything you have done and continue to do for BCRS. We appreciate you, and we are blessed to have you as part of our leadership team! ❤️🚨🚨