Ranger – The first of hopefully many events geared toward introducing community members to local firefighters took place on April 28 at Parker’s Burgers & Sweets.
About 50 people came out to participate in the fun, which included food, 27 door prizes donated by local businesses and fire department demonstrations. Folks watched as a firefighter used vehicle stabilizing blocks and the Jaws of Life to play the game Jenga.
The Jaws weigh about 65 pounds, making the game more challenging to say the least. The original design of the hydraulic spreaders was created by George Hurst in the 1960s. The tool, which was created to help remove race car drivers from wrecks, weighed 350 pounds back then.
Several fire departments participated in the event.
“This is great, I love it,” Diane Parker, owner of Parker’s, said of the turnout.
The event also provided an opportunity for folks to join a department of their choice, which paid off with a few potential members filling out applications. Organizers of Meet Your Hometown Heroes hope to make the event an annual one.
Volunteers are an asset to volunteer fire departments as they can potentially help lower a community’s homeowner’s insurance through ISO ratings, which is given to fire departments by the Insurance Services Office and based on several different factors. A department’s goal is to achieve a lower ISO rating in order to keep businesses and homeowner’s insurance premiums lower.
If there are not enough people willing to volunteer some of their time to a volunteer department, the department may be forced to hire paid personnel, which is far more expensive for a department, costing taxpayers even more.
If you would like to volunteer in a capacity that works for you, contact your local fire department.