The Elmore Volunteer Fire Department held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new fire station on Saturday, August 18. Current and former firefighters and administrative board members were in attendance along with local elected officials and many members of the community.
Throughout the ceremony there was a spirit of great appreciation for not only the current firefighters and board members but for former members as well. Danny Glasscock was present and he is one of six original Board members that signed the fire departments articles of incorporation in 1976. Roger Karen Parker was the fire departments first Chief but as he was turning in to attend the ceremony was involved in a vehicle accident. He was treated and released from the hospital later in the day. Karen was the person that gathered a group of citizens that started the fire department and we are very grateful and appreciative for his service.
The new station will allow the fire department to house all equipment and for enough space to properly conduct operations. For the last almost 8 years two portable storage building have been used for administrative offices at the old staion and some trucks had to be parked outside. Haynes Ambulance also has a building on this same site where as a part of their contract for service with Elmore County will respond to EMS calls in their jurisdiction on the west side of the county. Elmore County EMA has relocated some assets from their warehouse in Wetumpka and they will be housed in the new station which will decrease the response time by EMA officials when needed.
When I spoke Saturday, I talked about how the current firefighters and board members were not the primary reason building this station was possible. Building this station was possible because of the hard work done by all of the community members that came before us. Those people that did such things as going door-to-door asking for donations, working bingo games each week and responding to fire calls. We have been able to build upon the solid foundation created by thier hard work and for that I am most grateful.
Thanks,
Bart
