RedSTAR was formerly the volunteer wilderness special operations unit of Kentucky’s Powell County Ambulance Service in the Red River Gorge. Comprised of professional EMTs, Paramedics, Nurses, and Physicians who donated their time and skills, we supplied wilderness-capable medical providers to the exceptional Powell County Search and Rescue Team .

RedSTAR was organized in 2015 by veterans of Kentucky’s Search and Rescue and EMS communities, and became operational in 2017 through action of the Powell County Fiscal Court. In 2025, our operational relationship with Powell County ended, and we applied our expertise to the establishment of a Kentucky Board of EMS Training & Educational Institute that specializes in wilderness EMS.