Fire Department Staffing Good;
EMS Needs People
Deputy Sheriff Keith Burnett reported to the county commissioners’ court April 14 that the volunteer fire department’s staffing level is now good. He said some new people have recently joined, taking the numbers up, especially in the northern part of the county.
However, Burnett said the local Emergency Medical Service needs volunteers to enter certification training. (See “Briefly”)
John Kinnibrugh and Burnett said both the VFD and EMS units are very appreciative of the support they get from the commissioners’ court. They said many volunteer groups are struggling just to stay in operation because they must depend largely on donations for their funding. They said maintenance and repairs alone are big expenses, especially with fire equipment, which is generally used in rough terrain and harsh conditions.
Burnett and Kinnibrugh agreed that the newly purchased fire truck is “top of the line,” and a real plus to the county. A Forest Service grant will reimburse $108,000 of the truck’s $128,668 cost and the county will pay the balance of $20,668, according to Kinnibrugh. The truck will be on display in front of the courthouse Thursday and Friday, April 17 - 18.
Commissioner Jimmy Strube said the county should go ahead and get in line for another new fire truck to replace other aging ones, since the builder/outfitter of the trucks (Steele Fire Apparatus of Haskell) is running far behind with production and has a lengthy waiting list.
Burnett said Key Energy and Basic Energy have both agreed to send water tanker trucks anytime the local VFD needs them.
Kinnibrugh said the Glasscock VFD recently got 15 fire-retardant jump suits, 8 sets of goggles and 8 sets of hard hats and gloves. Ninety percent of the almost $4,000 cost was paid by a grant, and the VFD used its own funds for the remainder.
Burnett said Christy Seidenberger is doing an “awesome” job of heading up the local volunteer Emergency Medical Service. He said he doesn’t speak for that group, but knows that they not only need more people, and also some high-dollar equipment. An example he used is a battery-operated stretcher that raises and lowers to help with loading heavy patients. He said Sterling County has one, and the cost is approximately $11,000.
According to Burnett, Alon Refinery in Big Spring donated $10,000 to each of several fire-fighting units who responded to the explosion and fire there, but not to the Glasscock County VFD. Burnett said the local units sent six vehicles, and personnel spent 8 hours waiting, but were never needed. He said he would like for the unit to at least be reimbursed for the diesel and food costs it incurred, and is writing a letter to Alon. He also said the GCVFD wasn’t mentioned in the thank-you ad Alon ran in the Big Spring Herald, though he said some individual officials in Big Spring were verbally very appreciative of the help offered.