By HOLLY GASKILL
A recent audit said the Uniondale Fire Department has just half of the volunteers needed to meet ISO standards.
In addition to the possible safety issues this audit poses, it indicated the fire department as Class 10, meaning it does not meet the minimum criteria for fire protection. Because of this, residents of Uniondale, Rockcreek Township and Union Township may see increases in their property insurance.
Jason Borne, a volunteer firefighter for the department, was asked to discuss the issue with the Wells County Commissioners during their Tuesday meeting. Borne said the department had made attempts to attain a better rating, partnering with County Engineer Nate Rumschlag in a study for alternate water sources, but their lack of volunteers immediately drops them from any further qualifications.
At a minimum, the fire department needs eight firefighters to respond to an incident. Currently, the department has 10 total volunteers.
“We recognize that there is no amount of money that we as a department could toss (at) the problem,” Borne said. “We had the training and we had the processes — what we’re missing is volunteerism from the community. You don’t have enough people stepping up to answer the call.”
The reasons behind this are nuanced, Borne said.
Full certification as a firefighter requires a six-month course. However, new volunteers can take a 30-hour emergency response support certification to assist on the scene outside of the hazardous area. Borne noted that these courses are not frequently available, severely delaying prospective volunteers.
And, by the time a volunteer is fully-trained, there’s also no guarantee they’ll stay in the area. That said, Borne said he’d take who he can get.
“I can’t even get volunteers in the door to lose them,” Borne said.
To this point, Commissioner Jeff Stringer said he’d like to see the commissioners come together to meet with local fire department chiefs and Economic Development to search for possible action points. Commissioners Mike Vanover and Blake Gerber agreed.
Specifically, Stringer stated he also wants to see the county recruit more young people into the trade.
“If we don’t start committing to our youth in the trades — and this was a trade — we’re not going to have anybody working (in these areas),” Stringer said. “… As commissioners, I think we need to find a way to support — we’ve got to give those incentives, we’ve got to give them all the training we can and we’ve got to be committed to, as a community, to make sure we’re fostering those people.”
Meanwhile, prospective volunteers are advised to reach out for more information or an application through an existing volunteer or the Uniondale Fire Department Facebook page.
In other updates:
• The commissioners agreed to partner with the Indiana Public Employers’ Plan for worker’s compensation insurance, as recommended by Dan Lipp and Bret Beer from General Insurance Agency. Lipp stated that IPEP works with more than half of the government agencies in Indiana and had never been assessed in 34 years. The proposal presented a $78,011 premium, several thousand less than the county’s previous provider, Bliss McNight.
• The commissioners signed a contract with the Beers Mallers law firm in Fort Wayne for legal counsel. The firm’s services will be billed at $195 per hour, with several exceptions outlined, and Tedd Storer will serve as the county attorney.
• Sheriff Scott Holliday reported 75 inmates were being housed in the Wells County Jail as of Tuesday. Of these inmates, 25 were pre-trial holds for Wells County Circuit Court, 23 are pre-trial holds Superior Court, 15 are Level 6 felons, and four are from the Department of Correction.
holly@news-banner.com
