Fire Calls Running Average Count in the County

The purchase of a recently installed 100 watt VHF Radio Repeater installed in Carlton by the Prowers County Rural Fire Department has pushed Homeland Security Grant funds to the county to $54,853.  Rural Fire Chief, Staffon Warn, told the commissioners the repeater cost $37,677 can automatically activate warning sirens in any future emergency.  The figures were part of a quarterly update Warm provides for the commissioners.  He said installation funding is pending for remote activated sirens for Wiley and Hartman.

 The breakdown of Homeland Security to the county lists wireless communication headsets at $5,805 at a cost of $645 per headset.  Warn said these allow improved communications among responders in the field, especially for those on a fire truck and those on the ground.  Other items include a Chlorine B Kit for $2,047; Two Level A Haz-Mat Suits for $1,694; a Haz Cat Chemical ID Kit for $3,525 and a Pipe, Tank & Drum Seal Kit for $4,105.  These provide seals from 5 by 5 inches to 2 by 2 feet to contain ruptures in various kinds of tanks.  Four of the 22 Self Contained Breathing Units required additional repair during testing and one haz-mat incident was billed and collected for $1,364.54. 

“We’ve had an average number of service calls for fires so far this year,” he told the commissioners.  He added that the department has not had any responses due to a control burn getting out of control.  There were 25 responses to calls for the period between April 1 and June 30 this year and YTD calls brought the figure up to 31.  Those fires burned about 320 acres in the county.  Two storage buildings and one barn burned during the period. 

On another matter, the commissioners discussed an alternative time when the July 4 fireworks may be fired off in the community.  Because of state and local fire bans, the annual display near the county fairgrounds was cancelled until a suitable time was found.  Warn said the Volunteers, who are responsible for the mechanics of the event are discussing splitting the display into two events.  Half the fireworks would be set off following the annual Sand and Sage Fair Concert and the remainder of the fireworks could be set of on New Year’s Night.  No decision has been made at this time.

By Russ Baldwin