Volunteer Firemen Havr Rxcellent Recored

A small tightly knit organization in this community deserves a vast amount of consideration and public gratefulness for its community service.

Its members receive little recognition, little pay, and yet this group stands constantly ready, actually on 24-hour call, to protect the homes of the community and to serve in practically all emergencies.

Neither is its work limited to the town of Culver for the record shows that it serves a wide area.

The training of this group, their loyalty and esprit, their care and use of modern equipment is more generally recognized outside of the community than it is in.

The group works efficiently as a team and they take pride in their achievements which is no small matter, if one checks the record.

The organization we refer to is the Culver Volunteer Fire Company. Fourteen men make up the fire fighting unit. The requirements on the membership is rigid and the discipline within the company is strict and sometimes rough.

Each man is subject to call at anytime during the day and night to hurriedly report to the Town Hall fire station at the beckoning and sometimes ominous urgency of the fire siren atop the water tower.

The call may be a small grass fire three miles from town, it may be to rescue and revive persons near or about the lake, it may be to save a home, or it may be to the scene of a tragedy in a neighboring community.

While there is a lot of the romantic tradition and excitement connected with fire fighting, there is also a lot of hard work, the necessity for keeping in condition, of being alert, and in knowing what to do at the right time. The Culver fire fighters well fulfill these qualifications and more too.

Under the direction of Fire Chief Dave Burns, who has established something of a record in being named Chief for ten consecutive years, the Culver unit meet regularly every two weeks for training and study. In between time come special assignments in keeping the equipment in top shape. Should a member miss a meeting he is fined.

He is also fined if he misses a fire call without an air tight excuse and there are a number of other misdemeanors for which he can be fined. He must practice to no end the principles of carrying out rescue, first aid, resusitation, and fire fighting. For this he will receive approximately $40 per year.

Mont Foss, secretary-treasurer of the Culver Volunteer unit, has been a member of the company for nearly fifty years. Mont remembers when the first local unit was organized at a meeting in his father's harness shop on February 3, 1903. He remembers the Ferrier Lumber Yard fire. which resulted in the biggest damage of any fire recorded in local annals. He and other old timers also recall the burning of the Cavalry stables at the Academy, the old Hanger building fire of 1938 and scores of others.

In addition to Burns and Foss, the twelve other members are

Oscar Booker, assistant chief;

Captain Art Fishburn,

Perchis Blanchard,

Don Mikesell,

Henry Hinkle,

Herlin Stafford,

Harry Edgington,

Bill Wagoner,

Frank Hayward,

Don Milner,

Irwin Hatten, and

Donovan Overmyer.

Fishburn has been a member of the company since 1907: Blanchard since 1910; and Burns since 1932.

The group utilizes three trucks, a Bean high pressure truck: a Ford General truck: and a Ford Howe pumper.

The trucks are fully equipped. Other equipment readied for instant use includes an Emerson Resusitator, two Scott Air Packs, grappling hooks, 2200 feet of hose: ladders; stretchers, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and other equipment.

he only thing urgently needed now is a tanker truck. one which is capable of supplying 1,000 gallons of water.

Next year the Culver Volunteer fire company will celebrate a golden anniversary birthday.

During the past forty-nine years this organization has rendered yeoman service to the community. And for their hard work and protection through the years the community is deeply grateful, even though firemen may sometimes think their service is not too well regarded. Continue to keep your standards high, your record of achievement significantly tells better than words can, our appreciation.

The Culver Citizen 1952 Jul 09 Page 12