World War II in Culver Fireman... Defense School  

Firemen Eat Turkey, Plan Defense School, Hear Talk On Spirit

The Culver Volunteer Fire Department staged its annual turkey dinner Monday night in Snyder's Cafe with a number of guests present, and by the time the group had finished the sumptuous meal there wasn't a person present who could have leaned over and picked a nozzle off the floor

Chief Cary Cummins acted as toastmaster, and after urging the firemen to attend the first aid classes and explaining the addition of auxiliary firemen to the department as a war measure he called on Donald Mikesell to outline his plans for fire defense training schools

Mikesell is a graduate fire training instructor, a course recently arranged by the state to train fireman for emergency protection during the war.

He announced there would be schools for both the auxiliary and regular firemen and that sessions would be held weekly until the required number of hours had been reached.

Attendance at the schools is required. Mikesell, if the fireman are to continue as members of the company

E. W. Carter pledged the co-operation of the town, and Trustee D. W. Weaver did the same for the township in backing up the firemen in their war plans of the firemen, and Postmaster Fletcher Strang told of the role the postal employees and post office would play in case of attack.

J. W. Riggens, Bourbon fire marshall many decades ago, urged the appointment of marshals to aid the firemen, and Chief CUmmins stated he was going to use the auxiliary firemen in that

MacArthur and his American and Filipino capacity as soon as insurance could be taken out to cover them in case of injury

Gen.L. R. Gignilliat paid a tribute to the spirit of the firemen, and stressed the importance of high morale in any organization. He cited the example of Gen. troops as to what high spirit could accomplish. Gen. Gignilliat's stirring talk made a deep impression on his listeners, and the firemen declared afterwards it inspired them to work still harder on their war defense program.

The evening's program was concluded with the showing of two news reels - 11 Feb. 1942

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