Alamance County Rescue Unit marks 70 years with Graham open house

A bounce house, food and live vehicle-extrication drills filled the Graham station Saturday as the Alamance County Rescue Unit marked 70 years of service with an open house that doubled as a look at the county’s specialty rescue crew.

The unit says it has been keeping citizens of Alamance County safe since 1955, when it was organized before being chartered by the State of North Carolina on March 13, 1956, as the Graham Rescue Unit. Today, it describes itself as a volunteer emergency services organization and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Alamance and surrounding counties.

That role goes well beyond what many residents may picture when they hear “rescue.” The unit says it works closely with local fire, police and EMS agencies and provides specialty services including wilderness search and rescue, swift water rescue, trench rescue, large animal rescue, vehicle extrication, high-angle rescue and confined-space rescue. In practice, that makes the crew the county’s backstop for incidents that require rope work, technical access or heavy extraction tools rather than a routine ambulance response.

The anniversary event at 118 W McAden St. in Graham featured equipment demonstrations, trucks and service displays, along with live rescue demonstrations that were promoted to include vehicle extrication and high-angle rescue. The setup gave visitors a close look at the equipment and techniques that come into play when a crash leaves someone trapped, when a call turns vertical or when a rescue unfolds in a tight or unstable space.

Current officers listed by the unit include Chief Nick Martin, Deputy Chief William Mauney and Assistant Chief Chris Mauney. Their presence at the station underscored a simple point behind the celebration: Alamance County Rescue Unit is not just a piece of local history, but a volunteer service that still responds to emergencies that touch daily life across the county.

From wreck scenes and water calls to searches and specialized technical rescues, the unit’s 70th year highlighted how often a small group of trained volunteers can make the difference when ordinary first response is not enough.