Equipment reposssesed from County Rescue Squad

Equipment assigned by the state's Homeland Security Division to the Etowah County Rescue Squad was repossessed Tuesday following a series of events triggered by the drowning death April 25 of a rescue squad volunteer.  Chief Deputy Michael Barton told the Etowah County Commission the action was taken after several agencies decided to stop using the rescue squad's services.  It comes on the heels of an investigation into the death of 46 year old Vicky Houston Ryan,  a member of the rescue squad who drowned after the boat she was in capsized during a mission on Big Wills Creek off Brooke Avenue.  Volunteers with the rescue squad were among those who responded to the low-head dam at the old steel plant pump station for the recovery of the body of a kayaker who went missing in the water about 11 a.m. April 25.  Barton said that Gadsden Fire Department officials ordered the rescue squad members to stay out of the water and work only from the bank.  The orders were ignored, and two boats were put in the water. Both boats capsized, and nine rescue squad members were thrown into the water. Ryan drowned and three others were treated at a hospital.  Following the incident, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Police division, Etowah County Sheriff's Office, Gadsden Police Department, Gadsden Fire Department and the Etowah County District Attorney's office began an investigation into the drowning death.  That same day, Gadsden Fire Chief Stephen Carroll issued a verbal order that the rescue squad not be permitted to respond or operate within the city of Gadsden.