Magoffin County Rescue Squad Captain Edwin “Carter” Conley was born in Magoffin on June 23, 1950, to Robert and Lillian Conley of Falcon, Kentucky. Magoffin County may be considered a small eastern county of rural Kentucky to some, but to him it was home. That’s where he was raised, married a loving woman, and was a proud father to two sons and eventually a grandfather. What made Carter extraordinary was his unwavering drive to help those in need. Devoted to the county that he loved to serve, for 47 years he responded to every rescue/emergency call that came through Magoffin County when he was able. In many cases he would not want to be away from the county but for a brief moment, to ensure he would be available to assist with any emergency that might arise. He also did this as a volunteer.

Carter graduated from the University of Kentucky with a teaching degree. He worked for several years before he took a job with forestry firefighting, and there his love of firefighting and helping others started. Prior to 1974, in Magoffin County if you wrecked your vehicle, your house caught fire outside of city limits, and any other possible emergencies, there was little to no help. At times, help had to come from surrounding counties to render aid. Carter and a small group of concerned volunteers took it upon themselves to form the Magoffin County Rescue Squad. The organization was completely voluntary and received funding through charitable donations, grants, and a yearly local TV auction made up of local businesses donations. Carter always wanted to ensure that the Rescue Squad had working equipment, rescue tools, and gasoline for their vehicles, using the money they had raised and continuously advocating to have better equipment.

Alongside other Magoffin County citizens, Carter helped to establish a 911 system for Magoffin County. He also volunteered for many local fire departments, all while working a normal 9-5 job for the local Big Sandy development for many years. This allowed flexibility so he could respond to emergency calls, which often meant very long days. Despite these long days, Carter always found the energy to help when the call came in. Because he was such a servant of God, he was devoted to helping the injured or sick, whether that was a friend, neighbor, or passerby.

For 47 of his 71 years, his goal was to help the people of Magoffin County in their times of need. Carter always lived by the standard of a true servant. His motto was, “If you’re stuck in a car, we’ll get you out. If you’re lost, we’ll find you.”