Approaching Fire Prevention month, the fate of the county’s nine volunteer fire departments was a hot topic at last week’s meeting of the Ripley County Commission.
There is concern that with rising costs of fuel, insurance, equipment, repairs, building maintenance and power, some of the departments may not survive much longer.
The county budget is limited, with many hands reaching out for a share of the US Forest Service search and rescue grant money. There is never enough to meet every need.
Logan Creek Fire Chief Terry Slayton told commissioners, “All of the departments need money. They are struggling. I know of at least one department that can’t afford to insure all of its vehicles. I would cringe if our department got to that point.”
By definition, volunteer fire departments depend upon firefighters who are willing work without pay, often leaving their day jobs and sacrificing sleep all hours of the night to save property belonging to their friends and neighbors.
But no matter how willing volunteer crews are to donate their time, everything else comes with a hefty price tag, and departments largely depend on membership dues and fundraisers to function, said Slayton.
In many districts, the lack of funding from subscribers is starving their departments.
Slayton stated that unfortunately, most of the departments “are lucky to get dues from 25 percent of the households in their districts.”
Western District Commissioner Keith Whiteside stated he doesn’t think this is necessarily intentional.
“I think people either forget, put it off or don’t pay attention. They see the card and don’t read it. It looks like junk mail and they toss it in the trash.“
He said, “I would suggest that the departments pick a weekend and divide up and just go out into the county and show up in person.
They should go knock on every door and let people know it’s time to pay dues.”
Eastern District Commissioner Gary Emmons stated, that may be true in part, but many are already hard hit by costs of living.
“The dues are just another bill to them. They don’t think about losing their home to a fire, not until it happens,” he said.
Fire can happen anytime, anywhere.
The main contributor to fire is dry, hot weather.
Although the summer started out with more rainfall than usual, August and September have been dry.
“We haven’t had significant rainfall since Labor Day. The fields are already turning brown. We need rain badly,” said Slayton.
The commission again turned its attention to county property insurance, a topic that has been causing concern.
The previous insurance company canceled due to the number of claims submitted last year. Only one provider, MoPerm, was found that would consider offering coverage.
County Clerk Michael Williams presented a lengthy renewal application/questionnaire that was sent by MoPerm, which he said must be filled out and submitted before the end of the month.
Many of the questions are in regard to the detention center, involving details that have yet to be decided, and commissioners feel those decisions would better be left to an administrator.
Whiteside told Williams, “I would email a copy of the entire application to the architects, and let them fill out what they can.”
The county’s current policy does not expire until December 31.
One guest, Wilma Steffel, was present to ask for commissioners to help her with a problem she is having with the loss of water and/or water pressure in her home.
Emmons said it may be that the screen is clogged, where the water goes from the meter into her residence. He took her address and said he will look into the problem.