October is national Fire Prevention Month: Alto, Wells VFDs continue serving up excellence in emergency response

Editor’s note: Cherokee County is home to 11 fire and volunteer fire departments. This is the first in an ongoing series spotlighting local fire departments through the month of October, National Fire Prevention Month.

The southern end of Cherokee County is lit – when it comes to fire and emergency coverage, that is.

The cities of Alto and Wells both boast thriving volunteer fire departments, which routinely work together to get the job done in cases of wildfires, house fires, car crashes and other emergencies that occur in the southern most end of Cherokee County.

“We all work extremely well together through our interlocal agreements,” Alto Volunteer Fire Department Chief Terry Black said. “We assist Wells, as needed, and they help us, too – again as needed -- but we also assist Rusk, who helps us in return. We’re always appreciative of any assistance we get and are always happy to help our other departments anytime we’re needed.”

As one of the few county volunteer departments that provides medical emergency services, as well as fire protection, the Wells Volunteer Fire Department has been working to hone those services. The department is anticipating receiving its newest addition to its fleet – a new first responder truck – sometime within the month of November. The department is also proud to have added two grass fire trucks to its stables recently.

“This will help us a lot when responding to rescues or medical calls,” WVFD Chief Robert Kalka said. “All the equipment we’d need will be on one truck, which will help because we’ll know we’ve got everything we need, no matter what emergency we’ll be responding to.

“A lot of people don’t realize that we are the first responders (to medical emergencies in the area), because we’re so far away from any of the EMS stations. They can’t get here immediately, so we are trained and give first aide and care for people until the EMS arrives. In certain situations, our people will even travel with that person to the hospital, to continue giving care.”

AISD Chief Black said, “We help wherever we can when we get a call, of course, but we don’t do medical calls to the degree Wells does, just because of distance. We’re a little closer to the EMS base in Rusk.

Cherokee County and both cities provide funding to the departments as part of their respective annual budgets.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a fire, an accident or what, all our volunteer fire departments step up to help their communities,” County Judge and former Alto volunteer Chris Davis said. “They’ve always been source of pride for me as county judge, not only in Alto, but all across our county. We never want to take them for granted, but sometimes we do, unfortunately.

“These are a group of people who are willing to take time out of their lives and away from their families, to train, to respond, to put themselves in the line of danger, to take care of business. I remember in 2011 when our whole world seemed to be on fire. Every department in the county was willing to pitch in and help get the job done. It’s really just amazing. They all do a fantastic job.”

Both Black and Kalka said while local contributions are very much appreciated, the bulk of their departments’ funding comes through state and federal grants.

“The Texas Forestry Service does a ton to help support us,” Kalka said.

Black added, “We’re very appreciative of the support we receive from our community members and our county and state.”

The Alto Fire Department in May 2017 received a $200,000 check from the Texas A&M Forest Service's Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, which provides grants for engines, fire and rescue equipment, protective gear and training.

“We were able to add a heavy brush truck to our fleet last year, thanks to the grant from the Texas Forest Service,” Black said. “And that truck came in very handy during the pine tree plantation fire we responded to in August.”

Texas A&M Forest Service also purchased an oak tree, which was planted at the Alto High School, for the department in honor of the department’s partnership in fighting wildfires and protecting communities.

AVFD also recently refurbished the inside of its station, with new flooring and paint.

The WVFD has also been upgrading its fire station in recent years, adding three more truck bays and remodeling the inside.

During a meeting held in September, Wells City Council members discussed ownership of the fire department’s building, which was originally purchased with grant money provided by the Templeton Foundation. The department currently has a 30-year lease with the city of Wells to use the building as the fire station

“We’ve put in over $70,000 in our building, and it’s pretty nice,” Kalka, who also serves as a Wells council member, said during the September meeting. “And there’s some concern that the city might want to take it back – not this Council but maybe another Council in the future, someday.”

Mayor C.W. Williams suggested that issue might be best taken before the city’s voters, while Councilwoman Billie Petty recommended researching the legalities of the matter.

“We’ll need to check into this – contact our city attorney to ask,” Petty said.

Kalka said he’s grateful for the support the WVFD receives every year from the city, the county and the community.

“It’s so nice to know they’re taking care of us, the same way we’re taking care of them,” Kalka said. “That’s why, when we do add a new member, we pay for their training, food, hotel, mileage, all the sort of thing, while they’re training at A&M, to try to give back and take care of our people in the same way.”

That’s also the reason the WVFD continues to support local organizations like the Wells Food Pantry and the Wells Development Corporation; and work closely with the Wells Independent School District to educate young people about the importance of being prepared for an emergency. The department also recently started an annual scholarship fund for WHS seniors.

“We’ll be at the school for Fire Prevention Week again this year,” Kalka promised. “We’re there every year, teaching kids how to prevent fires, what to do in an emergency – it’s one of the more fun things we do.
“We want to support our community, to let them know their support doesn’t go unnoticed,” Kalka said. “We want to help the WDC’s park grow. When both the Food Pantry’s freezers went out at the same time, we were glad to step up and help -- they provide much-needed assistance to everyone in the area. And our scholarship, we try to give it to a worthy high school senior who might not be getting scholarships from any other avenues. We want to help them get to college and improve that way.”

AVFD members will also observe National Fire Safety and Prevention Week with visits to Alto Independent School District campuses on Oct. 12.

The Alto Volunteer Fire Department currently has 20 members. Anyone interested in becoming an Alto volunteer firefighter can go to the Alto Fire Station, 404 W. San Antonio St., Alto, and fill out an application to become a member. Donations may be made by dropping them off at the station, 153 Homer Road, or mailing checks, made out to the Alto Volunteer Fire Department, to PO Box 158, Alto, TX 75925.

The Wells Volunteer Fire Department currently has 10 dedicated members – including two female firefighters -- and four or five auxiliary members.

“They (the women) work hard, let me tell you,” Kalka said. “All our members do.”

Anyone interested in becoming a Wells volunteer firefighter can attend a department business meeting, held every first Monday of the month. Anyone who’d like to donate to the department may contact Kalka or any other member of the department.

“Donation don’t have to be monetary either,” Kalka said. “We’re always needing bottled water and other drinks, snacks, that kind of thing, to carry with us out on a scene. It gets difficult sometimes, especially in the summertime, to keep our people hydrated and energized while they do what they gotta do.”

Checks, made out to the Wells Volunteer Fire Department, can be mailed to the department at PO Box 116, Wells, TX 75976.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)’s website, Americans observe Fire Prevention Month each year during October, in order to remember the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

“The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 killed more than 250 people and left more than 100,000 homeless,” the NFPA’s website nfpa.org, states. “The fire, which allegedly started in a barn, also burned more than 2,000 acres and destroyed about 17,400 structures. The three-day fire, which started Oct. 8, did most of its damage on Oct. 9, 1871, which is why Fire Prevention Week is always held around that date. The first National Fire Prevention Day was declared by President Woodrow Wilson in 1922, and the week-long observance is the longest running public safety and health campaign on record.

“In 2000, the NFPA extended Fire Prevention Week to include the entire month of October, and entities such as public libraries, schools and utility companies joined in to spread the word not only about fire safety and prevention, but overall personal safety.”