About Us

History

About Jackson First Alert (JFARS)
Jackson First Alert (JFARS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue squad proudly serving Jackson, South Carolina, and the surrounding areas. Established in 1979 as the Jackson First Alert Team, our journey began with volunteers responding to emergencies from their homes here in town. In 1980, we received a charter from the Secretary of State, officially designating Jackson First Alert as an eleemosynary corporation.

Our early operations relied on resourcefulness, with the Town of Jackson donating an old police car to assist in emergency responses. By 1982, we expanded our services with the acquisition of our first ambulance, marking the start of our operation as a full-fledged ambulance service. In 1992, we secured land and constructed our current station, which remains our base of operations today.

Staffed by a dedicated team of volunteers and full-time employees, Jackson First Alert provides exceptional emergency medical care to the community. Beyond serving Jackson, we actively support Aiken County EMS and offer medical coverage for various events across the county. We are also proud partners of the United Way, reinforcing our commitment to the community.

Our Capabilities and Training
Jackson First Alert operates three Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances, equipped and ready to respond to emergencies with efficiency and care. In addition to emergency response, we provide non-emergent medical transportation services, which help fund our 911 operations and educational opportunities.

Our team is also prepared to deploy during major disasters. For example, we proudly assisted in Florida during Hurricane Milton and remain ready for future deployments when needed.

To ensure our providers remain certified and prepared, we partner with FireTech Training for ongoing education. This comprehensive program includes courses in Basic Life Support (CPR), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). These training initiatives are funded by the "Dalton Cooper Fund for Continuing Education," a dedicated fund supported by quarterly contributions from our organization.

Funding and Operations
Our operations are sustained through community donations, billing for services rendered, and non-emergent transport services. To ensure efficiency, we partner with an outsourced ambulance billing company.

At Jackson First Alert, our mission is to deliver reliable, compassionate care and foster a safer, healthier community for everyone we serve.

Founding Members

Director

Stephen Ferguson

Asst Director

Justin Scott

Secretary

Dorothy Browning

Logistics Manager

Ethan Jarrard

Treasurer

Sharon Tingle

Training Officer

Chase McIlwain