The mission of the Shelby County Fire District and Shelbyville/Shelby County Rescue Squad, Inc. is to provide a comprehensive management system, which coordinates Department/Squad members, agency representatives, and resources to protect the lives, property, and environment of Shelby County through preparedness, response and recovery from emergencies and disasters.

When sufficient qualified and trained personnel are available to accomplish the mission,operation, or response, the Department/Squad has as its mission the following functions:

1. The Department/Squad will take a lead role in the following types of fire, rescue and recovery situations.
   1. Vehicular, residential, commercial, industrial, and related fires and explosions and/or potential fire and explosions.
   2. Vehicular, residential, commercial, industrial and related extrication, rescue,and/or recovery.
   3. Search, rescue and recovery by the Dive/Rescue Team and/or boats, etc. on the ponds, lakes and waterways of Shelby County and other jurisdictions upon request.
   4. Search, rescue and recovery of lost or missing persons on land.
   5. Coordination or hazardous materials incidents as prescribed by OSHA 1910.120 to the Operations level.
   6. Provide severe weather spotters.


2. The Department/Squad will take a lead role or assist DES, EMS, and/or other agencies as prescribed by the State and County Emergency Operations Plan:
   1. Assist EMS (i.e. First Responders) with medical and related incidents.
   2. Conduct/assist evacuations of buildings, residential areas, etc.
   3. Natural disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
   4. Any emergency or related activity as so designated by the Shelby County Judge Executive/Fiscal Court, Mayor of Shelbyville/City Council, local, area or state DES.
   5. High angle and/ or confined space rescue/recovery
   6. Trench/Collapse rescue incidents
   7. Weapons of mass destruction incidents
   8. Traffic control


3. The Department/Squad will not respond to the following incidents or situations:
   1. Search for criminals
   2. Any situation which may be deemed by the Officer In Charge as too dangerous or if properly trained and equipped personnel are unavailable for the situation.

This mission, as adopted on June 15, 1995, by a majority vote of the active Department/Squad membership, shall stay in effect until changed by Amendment result of additional training, certification or change in services.

This mission, as amendment and adopted on November 27, 2002 by a majority vote the active Department/Squad membership, shall stay in effect until changed by Amendment as a result of additional training, certification or change in services.