LH Fire Department board discusses convention, dry weather, honors

The Lake Hamilton Fire Department Board of Directors on Tuesday discussed honors it received during the Arkansas State Firefighters Association and Arkansas Association of Fire Chiefs Annual Convention, and the recent dry weather.

Wayne Roberts, fire department board president, told the directors Tuesday night that the Arkansas Association of Fire Chiefs president gave special recognition to the late Fire Chief Matt Simpson, who died of cancer April 4. Roberts said legislation to provide benefits to firefighters who die of work- related cancers is being discussed.

The association president also commended the department for the professional way it conducts business, he said.

“He thought we were a paid staff, but when he found out we were a volunteer department, he was truly surprised,” Roberts said.

In other business, Roberts said the department responded to two calls during the Fourth of July holiday when one boat sank on Lake Hamilton and another caught fire.

Department officials

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said they expect the hot, dry weather to increase the number of fire calls.

“I expect the fire calls to go up as the weather gets drier,” Fire Chief Leonard Andersen said.

The department answered 42 calls in June, including grass and structure fires to vehicle accidents. Andersen said there were 19 instances of heat exhaustion suffered among the firefighters, which prompted the board to direct Roberts to check into getting a larger ice machine since the one at Station 2 is 21 years old and has broken down.

Terry Martin, a local businessman, provided several pounds of ice during recent fires to help keep the firefighters hydrated and cooled, Roberts said.

“When you put on those turnouts and start fighting a fire, you start heating up from the inside out. We’ve got to be able to keep plenty of ice and cold water supplied to our firefighters during these summer months,” said Roberts, who is also a firefighter.

The board was also told about issues regarding rent houses on the Station 2 property. The sewer work on one of the houses is complete, the field next to the house has been drained to allow proper drying and additional parking for fire trucks, and Roberts said the final $ 2,400 of the bill will be paid once an area of concrete that had to be disturbed is repaired.

The other rent house has roof problems, including hail damage. The fire department received an insurance reimbursement of $ 4,773.82 for the damage, and the board voted unanimously to put another $ 429 into repairs.

Roberts said the roof repair on Station 1 is complete, and plans will be made for the firefighters to provide painting to enhance the building’s appearance.

A total of 124 letters were sent to district patrons who currently do not pay fire dues.

“We have had some checks sent in, including one for $ 546 from a man in Texas. This letter is working as we have explained to the patrons how expensive it can get if we answer a fire call at their house and have to send them a bill. We hope to have the majority of these people paying dues by the end of the year,” Roberts said.

The department also has five old pieces of equipment and vehicles for sale. Roberts said the price is $ 10,000 for all of it, and recently turned down a $ 5,000 offer.

“I plan to get back to this person and make an offer of $ 8,500. We also have a couple of bulldozers that will be put up for sale along with an old fire boat and a couple of outboard motors,” Roberts said.

The department’s fire trucks haven’t been replaced in five years. Roberts and Andersen have been checking into used trucks after checking prices for new trucks at the convention.

To get its ISO insurance rating lowered, the fire department has been notified that two key components are water being transported by tanker or pumper trucks, and getting a good ladder truck.

“We have talked to four different companies to get estimates. Refurbishing vehicles for about $ 16,500 is an option we are going to look at since a new pumper- tanker truck we saw at the convention was going for $ 70,000,” Roberts said.

A refurbished tanker truck that holds 9,000 gallons would cost $ 12,885. The truck doesn’t have a pump, but one could be installed for a few thousand dollars, he said.

The board approved a request from Andersen to purchase four new hand- held radios at $ 375 each, which Andersen said would provide better communication and increased safety when firefighters are on call.

The board approved a request from Andersen to purchase 10 tires. One of the pumper- tanker trucks needs all eight tires replaced, and another truck needs two front tires.

“We’ve got to do it soon or we’ll be fixing flats on the way to fire calls,” he said.

Roberts formed a committee to review the fire department’s bylaws. The committee will hold its first meeting in a few weeks and is composed of board members Chris Walthall, Jim Samuelson and Michael Fikes and district patrons Tom Zukowski, Roman Terlecki and Steve Manning.

In other business, Roberts recapped recent state legislative action pertaining to fire departments. He also reported that 14 firefighters have signed up to receive insurance from Aflac. The individuals will pay their own premiums.

Also, uniforms and name tags will be updated at an estimated cost of $ 300.