Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief Ron Henry gives a fire safety lesson to the Gadley family of East Freedom during fire prevention week last October. The fire company is offering fire prevention and safety classes to any group or business in Freedom Township. Anyone wishing to schedule a session should call the fire department.
The Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company released its year-end report and 2019 was another busy year for the men and women who answer the whistle.
The fire company responded to a total of 371 alarms covering working fires, accidents and investigations.
Freedom Township was called out to 40 structure fires, 21 of which were working dwelling fires.
In addition to the 21 dwelling fires, Freedom Township responded to three electrical outlet fires, two barn fires, two cases of burnt food setting off an alarm, one dryer fire, a rubbish fire, two incidents of smoke inside a structure, a pellet stove malfunction and one fire that rekindled.
Freedom Township Fire Chief Ron Henry said that of the 40 structure fires his company responded to, four were in Freedom Township, which resulted in losses of approximately $700,000.
Structure fires are just one part of the job that kept the fire company busy last year.
Freedom Township responded to 134 motor vehicle accidents along with 11 calls to provide traffic control to the police during minor accidents.
The company was dispatched to 16 brush fires and 17 vehicle fires, two ATV accidents, three transformer fires, two flue fires and one electrical power line fire.
Not every call ends up being an emergency yet they all must be answered. Every time a truck leaves the station, or a firefighter leaves his house or work to respond to the whistle, time and resources are used.
Calls the fire company responded to last year that didn't require any emergency action included 24 commercial fire alarms which turned out to be false alarms.
Investigation and assisting other emergency personnel is another part of the job for the volunteer firefighter.
Freedom Township investigated reports of 16 outside and five inside reports of possible fires. The company responded to three high occupancy fire alarms and was called to assist EMS personnel 25 times.
The fire company also performed 59 public service duties which included 32 calls for trees down, 13 calls for wires down, three calls for debris on a roadway and two for flooding.
The Freedom Township Fire Company elected officers for 2020. Ron Henry will once again serve as fire chief. Henry has been chief since 2006.
Henry will be assisted by Deputy Chief Tim James, and Assistant Chiefs Nate Caldwell, Richard Weyant and James Lang. Captains are Tommy Miller and Scott Caldwell.
Executive officers were elected for 2020 with Matt May once again serving as president. Tommy Miller will serve as vice president, Tim James treasurer, Nate Caldwell financial secretary and Butch Giarth secretary.
Chief Henry said the Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company will again offer fire prevention programs. He said any group or organization in Freedom Township that would like the fire company to go to their business or organization to teach fire safety and prevention should call the fire hall at 695-4454.
"Fire safety and prevention is important for everyone to learn at every age," Henry said. "Day cares, businesses, anywhere. We will come out and teach the steps they can take to prevent fires and what to do in case they are in a fire. Knowing what to do will help save your life."
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