UNION SPRINGS - With volunteer memberships down across the county, the Cayuga County High Angle Rescue Squad is always on the lookout for new members. Yet that hasn't stopped the organization from keeping up to date on the latest rescue techniques and equipment.

The organization relies on fundraisers and donations to fund the specialized training and equipment needed for the work that they do.

“We come in to assist fire departments with specialized rescues,” Ron Jones,the organizations treasurer, said during the group's annual chicken barbecue fundraiser Saturday afternoon at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Union Springs. “We are called in to help with rescues from buildings, silos and even manholes.”

Jones said that although the team has members from fire departments across the county they house their equipment at the Aurora Fire Department due to the abundance of gully's in the area.

Each year the Union Springs chapter of the Lions Club donates the food and cooking of the barbecue to the rescue squad, with funds going to the organization's general fund for use of purchasing new equipment and training.

“We hold monthly meetings and drills at various departments around the county,” Jones said. “Knock on wood, we haven't had any situations yet this year.”

Jones said that currently the team has a total of 12 members, but are always looking to accept new members.

“Members must already be a member of a fire department,” he said. “We are a specialized area of the department. Right now our membership is low. It seems to go up and down over time. The younger generations just don't seem to be all that interested in volunteer work.”

A yearly training session is held for new members, but, according to Jones, this past year brought no new memberships.

“We hold what we call rookie basic training yearly,” he said “This past one had no enrollments.”

Jones said that the organization got their start in 1984 when a young girl had fallen into the gully and the department had to use a 50 foot ladder to get into it for her rescue.

“We just knew that there had to be a better way,” he said.

The team has been going strong ever since even having calls to help with specialized rescues in surrounding counties once in a while.