Structure fire sparks district coverage debate in Plains
PLAINS – Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District met on Thursday night to discuss their boundary lines.
After some debate on where the lines fall, Fire Chief Johnny Holland laid down the law and made sure everyone was aware of the current boundaries.
“From now on, when it’s out of the district, we don’t take the truck out of the hall. Period,” said Chief Holland.
At the beginning of the month, a fire occurred about 16 miles out on River Road West, which began a town debate of whether or not Rural Fire or Plains Volunteer Fire Department was able to respond.
“It’s terrible to think we’re a fire department and we can’t go. But it would be just the same as if Hot Springs got a page right now and we boil out of here and just run to Hot Springs,” explained Holland. “We have no business going there.”
Currently Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District is only allowed to go to Black Jack or to Four Corners on River Road West.
Anything beyond that point is a dead zone with no fire protection.
“In the summer time, the Forest Service or the DNRC will go for wild land protection but they don’t fight structure fires,” said Chief Holland.
“It’s going to hurt but you know its something we have to do guys,” explained Lieutenant Pat Erving during the meeting. “It ripped us apart the other night not being able to go.”
Currently the people on River Road West are trying to get enough landowners and property owners to sign a petition to get into the fire district, however, this process was once started in the past and was never completed.
According to Chief Holland, currently the boundary lines for the Rural Fire District stretch from Four Corners on River Road West to the cattle guard on Swamp Creek, Highway 200 West to Panorama Estates, Highway 200 East to the railroad tracks of Paradise, Highway 28 to mile marker 6.5, three miles north of Blanchard’s Corner on Upper Lynch Street and the 12-mile bridge on Highway 135.
Holland explained that eventually the department will get annexed in and will further their boundary line to Quinn’s on Highway 135 and to the reservation line on Highway 200.
“One thing that needs to be clarified for all you guys that are just coming on board here, responding with the ambulance is different than responding to a fire or responding to a car wreck,” said PPRFD officer Marlon Cooper. “We can go out of our boundaries because we’re mutual aiding the ambulance to assist with the car wreck. Whereas with the fires, we got to stay within our set boundaries.”
Chief Holland ordered signs which state when travelers are entering or leaving Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District to help the public know what district they fall into.