Roger Hudson



Roger Hudson VAVRS Life Member & Hall of Fame

Competed and participated at the International Convention in 2000. Hudson has attended every State Convention since 1978. Not long after Roger’s involvement in the squad, he was asked to serve as a VAVRS District Officer. He was appointed as Deputy Rescue Officer for District 7 and served for two years, 1980-81 and 1981-82. He served in this capacity again from 1997 to 2002. Roger also represented District 7 on the Southwest Virginia EMS Council in 1982. He increased his state duties by being asked to serve on the Rescue College Committee in 1982. Here Roger became involved in the portion of rescue work that he truly loves the most - TRAINING. He served on the Rescue College Committee in 1982, 1986, 1987 and 1988. He was honored in being the Chairman of the second largest VAVRS event, the most of any individual, ten years (1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997). In 1983, Roger was not only chairman, but he also served as District 7 Vice President. To further his involvement in training, Roger was elected and served as VAVRS Training Officer for 1983-84; 1984-85, 1987-88 and 1988-89. He also served as VAVRS Secretary in 1985-86 and again in 1986-87.

Hudson’s most important accomplishments came while he was Training Officer and Rescue College Chairman. Upon beginning his term as Training Officer, Roger saw the need to increase the type of training the VAVRS was offering. He wanted more programs to be recognized across the state. He knew that many talented rescue squad people were going unnoticed in their various fields of rescue operations. While serving as Training Officer, he received help from many individuals and began developing course outlines for Vertical Rescue, Search and Rescue and Cave Rescue. After introducing these programs and having them accepted, he set up training weekends to get interested individuals to become instructors in these courses. All ten districts were invited to participate and start these new and exciting classes. After the courses began to gain popularity, Hudson incorporated them into the Rescue College curriculum so that more individuals could receive this training. As an instructor trainer in Vertical Rescue, Hudson has been involved in various parts of this program at Rescue College since it’s beginning. He also wrote the outline for the course curriculum for an additional Advanced Vertical Rescue Course that was initiated in 1997. Another major accomplishment was the work Hudson did to get the Farm Machinery Extrication Course into the VAVRS Training Program. With help from knowledgeable squad members throughout the state, he worked diligently with the Virginia Tech Agriculture Division to take over the course that Tech could no longer support. During his second year as Training Officer, Roger worked with the EVOC instructors to seek approval of this course with the Division of Motor Vehicles. Thru DMV and with the help of many law enforcement individuals, his group gained approval for any squad member who completed the EVOC course to receive two points of credit on their driver’s license. To develop squad leaders, Hudson worked with various life members of the VAVRS and AVAVRS to begin programs of Squad and Auxiliary Management. He also increased squad members’ participation at Rescue College by including water rescue and dive courses for that side of rescue many people had not been exposed to in the past. As part of the Rescue College Committee for four years and Chairman for ten years, Hudson worked to double the course offerings and triple the VAVRS attendance at this event. To be involved in training and to keep abreast of the different types of pre-hospital emergency care, Hudson also retains his own skills. He is an EMT Instructor, CPR Instructor, First Aid Instructor, Basic and Light Duty Instructor, Vertical Rescue Instructor Trainer, and Advanced Vertical Instructor. He holds certification in Vehicle Extrication, Search and Rescue, Farm Machinery, Cave Rescue, EVOC, Hazardous Materials and Confined Space Rescue. Hudson is a member of the Southwest Virginia Confined Space Rescue Team. He is also trained by the American Red Cross in Disaster Services and Mass Care Courses. Hudson was selected as the Volunteer of the Year for Wythe County by the Wytheville Jaycees in 1981. Later that same year, he was presented the honor of being the State of Virginia’s Volunteer of the Year by the Virginia Jaycee Council. The Southwest Virginia EMS Council presented Roger with the Outstanding EMT Instructor Award in 1993. Hudson was also named to “Who’s Who of American Leaders” in 1994.

Roger was presented Life Membership in the Wythe County Rescue Squad in April 1987 and Life Membership into the VAVRS in 1992. He served on the Life Membership Committee for two years (1993-1995). He has also served on the Rescue Hall of Fame Committee from 1998 - 2002. Roger, himself, received the highest honor that can be bestowed on a volunteer rescue squad member. In September 1996, he was inducted into the Virginia Life Saving and Rescue Hall of Fame. Hudson has been employed at SPX Lightnin Corporation for 26 years and is a Lab Master Technician, as well as experienced in Quality Control with his trade as a machinist. He has been married to Becky for 27 years. She is also a life member of the Wythe County Rescue Squad and Auxiliary and the VAVRS. They have worked together in many aspects of their VAVRS activities and have used each other’s strengths to accomplish their rescue squad goals. Updated: January 2002 @R



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