Fire department puts out call for new volunteers

The evening began with Frank Magee, chief of the Westend Volunteer Fire Department, thanking those who filled the old DeBorgia Schoolhouse for attending. 

An invocation was given by Jeff Owens making a special note on the recent loss of David Hicks in a house fire, which was one of the reasons for the open house. 

“Fire awareness. Recent situational awareness,” is how Brooke Lincoln explained it as she has been a board trustee for the fire department for many years. “This evening is about safety and a strong reminder to be aware of our surroundings especially in the winter with most homes having a heat source using wood or pellets.” 

She also wants the community to see for themselves the people that fight the fires in their community and the need for more of them. A few firefighters were in full gear in the audience. 

“There is too much complacency nowadays as too many that can commit feel that someone else will do it. That is hurting us.”

Marlowe Heinz demonstrated a commercial and a homemade stove pipe cleaner to be used inside the home which can prevent flume fires when done systematically. 

“How big of a mess does it make?” came a question from the audience where Heinz said, “None, when done slowly with the doors closed as much as possible. And again, when done about monthly when it’s being used.” 

Chimfex is a chimney fire extinguisher that looks like a road flare. A demonstration on how to use it was performed and there were some to be given away. It works by essentially suffocating a chimney fire by rapidly reducing the amount of oxygen available in the flue, extinguishing the flames by depriving them of their fuel source. When thrown into the fire, it generates dense smoke that fills the chimney, displacing oxygen and stopping the combustion process.

Cindy Peterson is a local resident who retired last year from the MSU Extension Forestry Department and has years of experience explaining, and practicing, "Managing for Fire Resilience. Your Home and Forest," which was a PowerPoint presentation she tweaked especially for the evening. She showed slides of before and after on her own property with examples of safe space between vegetation and structures. 

Watersheds, methods to measure soil moisture, south facing hills and homes versus north facing with advantages to both were discussed and they care they require. Burning slash-piles came up and a woodchipper is available from the WEVFD on a donation basis if a person would rather chip their wood scraps rather than pile and burn it.

Magee stated that this far into winter, we may not see interior hazards as well because they do not stand out as we’ve become used to them. 

“We don’t see possible clutter near a fire source that is flammable because it’s been there so long,” he said asking everyone to thoroughly examine their home interiors that evening and look at the trees on their property the next day to see how close they are to each other and structures. Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, all from private donations and the WEVFD were available and free of charge on tables. 

“A lot of people came together to make this happen tonight,” as he stressed again that people need to be more aware of their surroundings.

Magee said that he is always recruiting new firefighters as are other volunteer fire departments. Jerry Docktor, Chief of the St. Regis Volunteer Fire Department was in attendance and echoed that they need more and that the two fire departments work extremely well together on situations. 

“Because of our small-town remoteness, we work together and train together at times because we know that when a disaster hits, we need to depend on each other out here. Nobody is going to come to save us so it’s up to us and we need more help.” 

He also made note that with the recent federal cuts, Mineral County has lost nearly 30 Forest Service firefighters that would have been assigned to that area for fighting fires on federal land.

Lincoln said that West End residents need to know that their fire department has supplies if they need them. 

“We do have fire extinguishers for them. We do have smoke detectors to give them. They just have to get ahold of one of us.”  

It was not verbalized, but there was a feeling in the school that the recent loss of David Hicks was a wake-up call to pay better attention to personal surroundings and for the community to work together, stronger than they have. 

Reconsider being a volunteer firefighter as not every position needed is physically demanding. Driving the tender, coiling hoses, crowd control, etc. Talk with Frank Magee at (208) 651-7700.