Trustee Board President Steve Schramm said he expected to pay about $5 million for a building. He said if the costs don’t come down with a hybrid building, he might even consider a metal building, but that option has its drawbacks too.

 

The 2008 truck comes from Roswell, N.M. When it came up to be replaced, the BLM jumped at the chance to send it to Platte County.  “We have just two fire stations servicing ten counties – just in the high plains area,” relayed BLM High Plains Fire Management Office Kirk Strom. “We are very rarely the first to arrive to the fires and we are dependent on our cooperators to take the initial response. We are trying to help them help us. Platte County has always been a reliable and responsive partner.”  The Rural Fire Readiness program allows the BLM to supply modern firefighting equipment available to rural departments that help fight fires in the county. The type-4 engine has a large water reservoir and high clearance making it ideal for the remote, rural land the Chugwater Fire Department covers and protects. It has been serviced to guarantee it is ready to jump into action when needed.  Chugwater Fire Chief, Tim Ash, is pleased to the new addition to the current four truck fleet.  

First responders were called out to a barn fire along 300 West in Daleville around 1 p.m. Tuesday. As crews loaded up and left the scene, a vehicle drove towards them, and the driver of the fire engine tried to move over.

The fire engine hit a utility pole and became entangled in power lines. The two firefighters were stuck upside down for 45 minutes until crews could safely get them out.

According to Lewis, Mowrey and another firefighter, Rickie Taylor, were in their department’s Engine 83, returning from a fire run along Delaware County Road 300-W about 3:10 p.m. Tuesday when the accident took place.  

The incident left the fire truck off the roadway, on its roof.

Emergency personnel were delayed in removing the firefighters – “alert and talking" at the time – from the truck until downed power lines could be shut off.

The department itself added $25,000.00 worth of equipment to their new truck which included 1600 feet of hoses, 20 gallons of foam, and three new ladders: one 24 ft. extension ladder, one 14 ft. roof ladder, and one 10 ft. closet ladder.  

When asked about the new truck, Assistant Fire Chief Rob Cameron said, “It’s going to be a big asset to the City of Union Springs. We’re very proud of it.”

“We want the citizens to know we are all volunteers and work very hard to protect the community,” said Cameron. If there is an emergency most firemen will respond in their own personal vehicles.