Edgeley firefighters get grant to buy new truck

Thanks to a grant, the Edgeley Volunteer Fire Department is expecting a new pumper/rescue truck to help improve emergency response to the surrounding area.

The volunteer department received $275,000 earlier this month through a Federal Emergency Management Agency Assisting Firefighters Grant.

The department only has to provide $15,000 in matching funds for the purchase of a new pumper/rescue truck with the grant, according to Steve Powers, EVFD chief.

Edgeley, located about 35 miles south of Jamestown, was the only department in the state to receive the FEMA AFG this year.

“Not that we’d want to take away anything from anyone else, but we did a good job writing our grant and we did a good job pleading our case,” Powers said.

Greg Gibson, a fire instructor with EVFD, wrote most of the grant, Powers said.

To be awarded a FEMA grant, EVFD had to meet different criteria including workshops attended, the number of fire calls, the status of the old equipment and department’s location.

Powers said being 35 miles from Jamestown and 35 miles from Aberdeen, S.D., means the department has to provide a strong rescue response in its region.

“We’re really excited to increase our productivity, our response time and our ability with this new equipment,” Powers said. “Because that’s why we’re firemen. That’s why we’re on a rescue squad; we’re there to help people.”

The EVFD has formed a truck committee looking into all of the different options for the pumper/rescue truck.

Its old pumper truck is 32 years old and will be replaced with this new one.

Powers said it will be a new truck that holds five firefighters and will feature heavy hydraulics, the capability to hook up to fire hydrants and tools on board to serve as a rescue truck as well.

“It is a really good combination truck for a small-town department because you get multiple uses from it,” he said.

The final $15,000 for the truck will have to come from the EVFD, which has two fundraisers planned.

A pancake feed is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 1 at the Edgeley armory. On June 15 during the 125th celebration of Edgeley, the EVFD will also have its annual chicken barbecue.

“We live in an outstanding community down here,” Powers said. “Once it gets out — what we’re doing and what we’re raising money for — I don’t anticipate any hardship whatsoever for raising $15,000.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: news, edgeley, fire