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Children watch as teams of volunteer firefighters practice extraction skills and show the difference in tools during the Car Extraction Race at the Ranger Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday. "They're ripping the doors off?" one child exclaimed as the volunteers carefully removed pieces of the car. -
Andrew Gray helps Austin Gray, 6, Rowan Woods, 7, and Callie Gray, 7, understand the North Carolina in the Great War exhibit after storytime at the Andrews Public Library.
Ranger – It was a party filled with education at the Ranger Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday.
Families could enjoy barbecue and hot dogs as they toured the firehouse got information from the N.C. Forest Service, American Red Cross and Life Force. They could view Hiwassee Dam's Swift Water Rescue equipment, plus see fire trucks from both Ranger and Culberson. A highlight for children was getting to try to find their way out of the Kids Fire Safety House trailer as it filled with smoke.
"We've had a pretty good turnout," Ranger Fire Chief Mike Taylor said.
Throughout the day, families circled the volunteer firefighters and rescue squad volunteers as they demonstrated different aspects of their work. For the Car Extraction Race, one team used the hydraulic tools Ranger uses, while the other team had battery-powered tools brought by Safe Industries. The battery-powered tools proved to be faster and even lighter in weight.
Ranger is planning a fundraiser to purchase the more efficient tools for their department. One tool costs $10,000, and Ranger expects to need $30,000-40,000 to purchase the extraction tools they need.
"The tools are expensive," Taylor said. "If you're trapped in that car, $30-40,000 is going to make a difference."
The Ranger Volunteer Fire Department, which visited several schools throughout Fire Safety Week, always tries to end the week with open house.
The fun continues next weekend, as the Valleytown Volunteer Fire Department will host the grand opening of its Marble substation. The ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m., with free barbecue plates available starting at 11 a.m.
The substation has been in use for about two months, replacing the one that had been in use since Valleytown formed about 40 years ago. The new station has three bays, a full office, kitchen, bathroom, showers and two bedrooms.
The new substation is at 2160 Airport Road in Marble, next to The Oaks Academy and the former substation.
WWI exhibit travels to libraries
Andrews – As patrons walk through the main entrance of the Andrews Public Library, they are greeted by two mannequins – one in a World War I-era nurse uniform, the other in World War I Army Wildcat Division uniform.
The mannequins are part of the traveling exhibit, “North Carolina in the Great War,” which will be in the library through Friday before moving to the Murphy Public Library. The display, which includes 10 panels filled with information about North Carolina's involvement in the war, is provided by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
"They offer these traveling exhibits to libraries," said Franklin Shook, director of the Nantahala Regional Library system, which includes both the Andrews and Murphy branches.
Shook saw the traveling exhibits are a good resource for the local communities. The World War I exhibit is one of the newest ones offered, and he thought it would be beneficial to students and teachers. In fact, he has invited the local schools to visit the exhibit.
The exhibit visited Graham County first, where more than 150 students saw it.
After storytime, several young children were curious about the exhibit, and circled the mannequins several times. Shook said the soldier mannequin was his favorite part of the exhibit, too, adding that it made the exhibit more informational and real.
Stephen Francis of Andrews took his time reading each panel of the exhibit as he visited the library. His grandfather served, and while he believes it is a war that should have never happened, he thought it was wonderful to see an exhibit that showed the state's role.
"I think the exhibit is very nice," he said.
The exhibit will stop in Murphy from Oct. 21 through Nov. 8, then will conclude its travels around the Nantahala Regional Libraries at Moss Memorial Library in Hayesville from Nov. 11-29.
Samantha Sinclair is the weekly Scouting Around columnist for the Cherokee Scout. You can reach her with your story ideas by email, scoutingaround@cherokeescout.com; fax, 837-5832; or by leaving a message in the office at 837-5122.