Firefighters 2017

HEROES

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HEROES A TRIBUTE TO FIREFIGHTERS

INSIDE: Profiles of area fire departments and fire chiefs

HEROES

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FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Bartlesville Fire Department Name of department: Bartlesville Fire Department Fire chief’s name: John Banks Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Deputy Fire Chief David Topping, Training Officer/Arson Investigator Bill Hollander Where is/are the fire stations located: Station No. 1 (Central Fire Station), 601 S. Johnstone Ave.; Station No. 2, Virginia and Hensley; Station No. 3, 100 SE Madison; and Station No. 4, 3501 Price Road When was the department founded: 1905 How many firefighters in the department: We now have 66 paid firefighters on the department. Funding for the additional 3 firefighters positions was made possible by the .4% sales tax increase that was approved by voters.

How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All paid positions List the makes/models of firefighting

vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? 5 engine companies. 2 reserve apparatus, and 3 aerial (ladder) apparatus, 2 brush rigs What types of firefighting equipment do you have? In addition to the previous items, jaws of life, thermal imaging cameras, and breathing apparatuses.

We also have three rescue boats, one is an aluminum boat powered by a 25 HP motor and two Rapid Deployment Inflatable Boats.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? In the next few years I’d like to replace our 85-foot snorkel truck that is currently at station two. It’s a 1975 model. Pumper three that is at station three is a 1998 model and will have to be replaced at some point in the next few years.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? We made 3,480 calls in 2016.

A piece of fire equipment backs into the apparatus bay at the Central Fire Station in downtown Bartlesville.

The fire station was renovated as part of the construction of a Public Safety Complex, which also will house the Bartlesville Police Department.

A Special Thank You to Our Firefighters

1415 SE Washington Blvd, Bartlesville (918) 333-0380

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

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HEROES

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FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Gip Allen

John Banks

Department: Pawhuska Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Gip Allen How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department?

19 years; 7 years as fire chief What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? None.

Describe why you became a firefighter? Wanting to help people and the pay and benefits.

Describe why you became a fire chief? Increase in pay and higher rank in the department.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? No. Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Training, roping horses and judging rodeos

Tell us about your family? Wife - Charla; daughters - Sage and Blake What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department?

Money What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Put in grants to help the department repair or replace some of the old fire engines or buy tools to help the firemen and get some new bunker gear for the firemen.

How can the public help your fire department? Practice fire safety.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? We are a department with seven full-time firefighters and seven volunteer firefighters.

Gip Allen

Department: Bartlesville Fire Fire chief’s name: John Banks How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 38 years and promoted to Chief Dec. 1, 2014 What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I was hired as a firefighter, then about 10 years later I was promoted to Equipment Operator. About 8 years later I was promoted to Captain, and 6 years after that I promoted to Battalion Chief. I held that position until I was promoted to Chief in Dec. 2014.

Describe why you became a firefighter?

Back then I had several friends and one family member (Rocky Banks) that worked for BFD. Rocky had suggested that I should consider coming to work for the fire department and in April of 1979 I did just that. Since then other member of my family have also joined the fire service. I have a cousin (Kelly Banks) that is a Captain on the BFD, and another cousin Cody

John Banks Banks that is an Assistant Fire Marshall for the Tulsa FD. Describe why you became a fire chief? I have been doing this along time, and when the opportunity came along to apply for the Fire Chief’s position I naturally thought it

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Pawhuska Fire Department Name of department: Pawhuska Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Gip Allen Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Lloyd Arnce, Josh Alexander and Melvin Blossom Where is/are the fire stations located: 900 Lynn Avenue, Pawhuska When was the department founded: The earliest known record shows Pawhuska had a fire chief in 1911.

How many firefighters in the department: 14 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? 7 paid, 7 volunteers List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

502 - 2000 E-One Freightliner pumper

503 - 2012 E-One International pumper 505 - 1962 Ford Pitman Snorkel 506 - 2008 Freightliner M916 tanker/grass rig 507 - 2008 Ford grass rig What types of firefighting equipment do you have? We have two sets of Jaws 1 on each pumper What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We are looking at trying to replace the 1962 Ford Snorkel with a new one and trying to replace our bunker gear.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016?

(Please breakdown into types of fires, if possible) 24 fires, 52 grass fires, 62 EMS assists, 12 car wrecks and 54 false alarms and miscellaneous

Pictured, left to right, are Jeff Phillippi, Travis Jensen, Lt. Brad Hayman, Capt. Melvin Blossom, Capt. Josh Alexander, Chief Gip Allen, Tyler Thomas, Lt. Mike Bayro and Lt. Jeramie Tuller. Not pictured are Dalton McCosar, Capt. Lloyd Arnce, Randy Wadsworth, Josh Phillippi and Steven Frost. Volunteers comprise 50 percent of the PFD force, Chief Allen said.

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Dale Little Department: Dewey Fire Department Fire Chief: Dale Little How long have you been with the department and how long have you been fire chief? I have been in this department for 25 years — seven years as fire chief.

Describe why you became a firefighter: I wanted to help people.

Describe why you became a fire chief: I wanted to see our department excel in what we do.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? My dad was a firefighter.

Describe your hobbies: I love to fish.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department?

Money would be our

greatest challenge that we face.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Our chief goals are now are to buy rescue jacks and a 2016 rescue truck How can the public help your fire department? Public support of our fundraisers are important to our department.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? As far as firefighter of the year, I want to name all of our firemen. They are volunteers; they donate a lot of time to the cause and a lot of time to training so they can serve our citizens better.

Dewey Fire Chief Dale Little

would be something that I wanted to do, and want to thank the City Manager and the members of the FD for giving me this opportunity.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? I like to fish and spend time at the lake and do so as often as I can.

Tell us about your family? I am married to Nancy, and have two children. My daughter Jena Welter and her husband Andy live in Tulsa. Jena is a teacher for Tulsa Public Schools. My son John D. Banks and his wife Donnita live here in Bartlesville. John is an Inspector for Element Oil Company.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Everything!!! This profession is very challenging and stressful at times. The members of this department are faced daily with emergencies of all types. Just when you think you’ve seen it all something that you couldn’t have imagined comes up. We are not just a fire department anymore , Fire Departments across the country have become All Hazard

Examiner-Enterprise • 3

Response Agencies including Emergency Medical Response.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months?

The department has had a major face lift with the expansion of the current downtown Fire Station. The firefighters moved into the new Station late last fall, and we recently moved the administrative staff into the newly renovated space of what was the old Central Fire Station. In July we will be awarding a bid for a new pumper that will be stationed at Fire Station #2 ( Hensley & Virginia). We also have two other fire apparatus that need to be replaced in the next few years.

How can the public help your fire department? Fire Safety. If you don’t have smoke detectors in your home please have them installed, and if you have battery operated smoke detectors that are more than ten years old, please replace them and remember to replace the batteries twice a year when the time changes.

HEROES

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HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Dewey Fire Department

Osage Hills Rural Firefighters

Department: Dewey Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Dale Little Assistant Chief: John Williams Location: 801 N. Cherokee, Dewey When was department founded: 1923 Firefighters in the department: 20. All firemen are volunteers List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used.

One 1996 Class A pumper, one 1993 class A pumper, one 2006 class A pumper, all are used for house fires. Two 2013 brush trucks for wildland fires, one 1993 tanker truck, one 1995 tanker truck, both are used for water support, one 1981 rescue truck.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? All trucks have the proper equipment on them. We could use some newer tanker trucks and some new Air Packs.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? We did 535 runs in 2016

Dewey Fire Department is shown.

For the countless pets that have been rescued, saved and protected...

Thank you

399519 US Hwy 60, PO Box 3292 Bartlesville, OK 74006 ((918)) 766-0991

Thank You Yo From the residents of Circle Mountain, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude and thanks for protecting the people and homes in the area.

We truly appreciate all that you do.

Name of department: Osage Hills Rural Firefighters Fire Chief’s name: Jerry Harris Where is/are the fire stations located: West of Bartlesville in Osage County. We operate from two fire stations centrally located in our two communities, Station No. 1 is in Okesa and Station No. 2 is at Sunset Lake. Both fire stations were built in 1990 with grants received from the E. H. & Melody Lyon Foundation in Bartlesville and the Founders of the Doctors Hospital in Tulsa.

When was the department founded: The fire department was formed as a 100 percent volunteer department and was incorporated in 1986 as an Oklahoma Title 18 department, with a 501c3 non-profit organization tax-exempt status from the I.R.S. How many firefighters in the department: Currently on our roster we have 17

volunteer firefighters that include three EMTs and one paramedic.

List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

The Fire Department currently owns and operates two 1,000-gallons-perminute pumper engines, two 2,000-gallon tanker/tenders, three 300-gallon brush/ grass fire trucks, one 600-gallon military 2 ½-ton truck, one 900-gallon 5-ton military truck, one rescue truck that is also used as a Command vehicle, and a Kubota UTV that is used to fight grass fires as well as search and rescue. We also operate a 1,000-gallon 5-ton military truck that is on loan from the Oklahoma Forestry Department.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? Our biggest need is more fire trucks and additional operating funds.

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Osage Hills Rural Fire Department

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Jerry Harris Department: Osage Hills Rural Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Jerry Harris How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? I’ve been here for 31 years. I started as a board member.

What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I’ve always been a volunteer firefighter.

Describe why you became a firefighter.

Mainly to help my neighbors and community.

Describe why you became a fire chief.

There was a need for it.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? No. Do you have any hobbies? This takes about 100 percent of my time.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Manpower, funds and getting employers to let their employees off work to put out a fire.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months?

Hopefully we can continue to build on our reliability and efficiency.

How can the public help your fire department? We’re always in need of more funding and manpower. We’d also like a new facility for our equipment and trucks. Also, we urge people not to throw out their cigarette butts and to report arsonists.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department?

We’re dedicated group of volunteers who cover a large area of putting out fires.

Jerry Harris

THANKK YOU FIREFIGHTERS

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HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

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FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Delaware Fire Department Thank you so much for your service and sacrifice.

We appreciate everything that you do.

Department Name: Delaware Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chiefs Name: Jared S. Collins Assistants Chiefs: Asst. Chief 1 Justin J. Collins, Asst. Chief 2 Cheyenne Lee Station Location: 607 Elm St. Delaware, OK 74027 Department Founded: Approx. 1961 Number of FireďŹ ghters: 13 All members are volunteers only Types of FireďŹ ghting Equipment: gas powered fans, generators, chain saws, leaf blowers, self contained breathing apparatus, standard ďŹ reďŹ ghting hand tools, medical/ trauma bags and misc. tarps and materials List of Makes and Models of Trucks: 1990 Central States Pumper, 1986 Chevy Simel Pump and Roll Pumper both used for city and rural structure ďŹ res 2 Refurbished Forestry Military 5 ton 6x6 Brush/ Tanker trucks used to

either transport water to ďŹ re scenes or in battling wildland ďŹ res 1994 Freightliner 2500 gal 6x6 Tanker used only as a mobile water tender 1982 Chevy ž ton military 4x4 pickup with 210gal tank, 1997 Chevy 1ton 4x4 with 250 gal. tank, 2003 Chevy 1 ton 4x4 with 300 Gal. tank all three are used as grass/ slash brush units and the 97 and 03 Chevy’s are used as Quick attack rigs as well 1988 Chevy 1 ton 4x4 with utility bed and 250 gal tank used as a medical truck and back up grass rig What type of vehicles or equipment does our department need: We would like to replace our medical truck with a newer extended cab pickup, ďŹ re hoses, nozzles, connections for the hoses and trucks, ďŹ reďŹ ghter turnout gear, and possibly vehicle extrication tools

ABOVE: From left, Jesten Cody, Rick Cody, Jason Lafferty, Billie Lafferty, Heather Collins, (kids: Beau Lee, Baylee Collins), Fire Chief Jared Collins; Justin Collins, Sabrina Lee, Cheyenne Lee and J.D. Baney.

FireďŹ ghters save more than homes. They save hearts, memories and dreams.

Thanks to all of our local herooes.

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HEROES

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HEROES

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FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Jared Collins Department: Delaware Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Jared Collins How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department: 13 years. Fire chief —3 years What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department: None Describe why you became a firefighter: Helping people in our community and being able to protect our town whether it be damages from fire, wind or rain, there is always someone to count on.

Describe why you became a fire chief: Our previous chief retired, and I was nominated for the job from our fellow firefighters, to be their leader.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter: My wife and brother Do you have any hobbies? Firefighting, and working cattle Tell us about your family: My wife Heather and I have been married 11 years this November. We have one daughter,

Baylee, who is 6 years old and has just completed her second year of school.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department: Volunteers, and becoming an emergency responding department.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months: Raising more funds for repairs on our equipment; including tires, grass rigs, tankers and pumps, and becoming a first responding agency How can the public help your fire department: Donations and support Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? We have a fantastic group of firemen on our department … we all work very hard for our community. We are always having fundraisers, every June we have a dinner and an auction that we do very well on. Couldn’t be any better group of firemen that we do have not just at our department but in our entire county.

Member FDIC

ahb-ok.com

Three firefighters from Bartlesville's Station No. 4. COURTESY BARTLESVILLE PROFESSIONAL FIREJared Collins

We support our area firefighters!

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Tyson Kincaide Fire chief’s name: Tyson Kincaide How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 27 years with the department. Ninth year as chief.

What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? Firefighter. Assistant Chief.

Describe why you became a firefighter?

To help the community.

Describe why you became a fire chief?

To help the community, and to help all I can With bringing up the next generation of firefighters.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? Yes, I had an uncle that was a Bartlesville firefighter.

Tell us about your family: A supportive family is key in a volunteer firefighter’s life, due to the commitment of time that is required for training and

responding to emergencies.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Juggling home life with the time required for training and responding to emergencies.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months?

Keep growing, training, and upgrading our abilities to continue helping the community to the best of our ability.

How can the public help your fire department? Donations of bottled water, Gatorade and snacks, help with rehab that is required during long hours at response scenes.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? We are always striving to give our community, as well as our surrounding communities through mutual aid agreements, the best possible protection and service that we can.

FIGHTERS LOCAL 200

Thanks for your service!

Companion Animal Clinic

3432 SE Washington Blvd. (one mile south of our current location)

Ramona Volunteer Fire Chief Tyson Kincaide inspects some of the bunker gear used to protect firefighters.

Companionclinicok.com 918-333-5234

We support our local heroes.

Thank you for all that you do!

Bartlesville 918.333.8300 Pawhuska 918.287.2919 Barnsdall 918.847.2551

HEROES

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Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

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FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Kary Cox

Ramona Fire Department

Fire chief’s name: Kary Cox How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been ďŹ re chief at the department? I have been with the department for 20 years and have served as chief the past 12 years.

What other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I have been in the ďŹ re service for over 30 years.

Some of that time was out in western Oklahoma in Beaver and Slapout.

Describe why you became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter. It’s just something I always wanted to do.

When I was kid, I told the preacher across the street that I wanted to be a ďŹ reman.

Describe why you became a ďŹ re chief. My fellow volunteers voted.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? No, I am the only one.

Do you have any hobbies? I love motorcycling, boating and Jeeps.

Tell us about your family? My wife of 39 years is Paula. I have two grown sons, Justin and Travis, and one 5-year-old granddaughter.

What is the biggest challenge facing your ďŹ re department? The biggest challenge is funding. Our call load has increased, but our funding for expenses has not. It is becoming increasingly difďŹ cult for us to make repairs and attend training.

What goals or objectives do you have for the ďŹ re department in the next 12 months? I want to focus on training and make some renovations to the ďŹ re stations.

How can the public help your ďŹ re department? Donations are always accepted to help us do what we can to protect our county. The best thing the public can do is always be prepared, ďŹ re prevention techniques and reporting ďŹ res when they are spotted.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your ďŹ re department?

We are all volunteers. This is one of the most dedicated group of people I have ever served with. They train hard and work heard. These are uncompensated professionals.

Name of department: Ramona Fire Department.

Fire chief’s name: Tyson Kincaide.

Do you have any assistant chiefs? Kenneth Haberly.

Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: 420 Second St. How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: Twelve.

How many are paid? None.

How many are volunteers? All. One pumper truck, two tankers, four brush trucks, one rescue truck.

What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have?

Equipment for ďŹ ghting grass/brush ďŹ res, automobile ďŹ res, and structure ďŹ res. Equipment such as the Jaws Of Life for automobile extrication if needed. Also, supplies to help with BLS needs until an ALS unit, such as Bartlesville Ambulance Service, can respond to medical emergencies.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We are always working to update and/or upgrade our equipment as much as possible.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? 257 Washington County Volunteer Fire Chief Kary Cox looks up from his paperwork on his desk at the fire station.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Washington County Volunteer Fire Department Name of department: Washington County Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Kary Cox Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? We have one assistant chief, Chuck Kerns; one captain, Don Kendall; and two lieutenants, Lloyd Guatney and Danny Wadsworth Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: We have two stations.

One is located at 3931 SE Adams Road in Bartlesville, and the other one is located in Oak Park.

When was the department founded: 1983 How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: Currently we have 16 ďŹ reďŹ ghters and three cadets.

How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All are volunteers List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? We have four vehicles; one tanker and three brush trucks.

What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? We have two rescue boats and two ATVs, as well as bunker gear and air supplies.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We are always needing to replace vehicles. Our newest truck is a 2005 model.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? We had a total of 122 calls in 2016.

17 were structure ďŹ res the remaining were wildland ďŹ res.

Front row, from left to right; Kary Cox, Nathan Scullawl, Eric Ashlock, Lee Brammer, Ross Grogan and Lloyd Guatney. Back row, from left to right; Cadet Greg Trueblood, Bo Chuck Dyer, Carl Lee, Noah Holmes, Danny Wadsworth, Alan Conn, Don Kendall, Chuck Kerns and Cadet Treston Towers. Not pictured; Marc Bradley and Chris Bennett.

Front row, from left: Blake Chew, Dustin Haberly and Todd Asbury. Back row, from left: Tyson Kincaide, Scott Hunt, Kenneth Haberly, Tommy Grounds, Kenneth Bond and Michael Regier. Not pictured are Dewey Floyd, Kent Regier and Luke Robertson.

Thanks for all you do.

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Thank you for protecting the assets we value most!

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Fire, Water and Power Alarms

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HEROES

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HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Tom Strom

Todd Owens

Department: Hulah Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Tom Strom How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? Since the first board meeting in the 1980s. I was named chief in 1991.

What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I didn’t have any firefighting jobs prior. I am a rancher by trade. I’ve been in ranching all my life.

Describe why you became a firefighter. As a rancher, we have always fought fires. I’ve done it all my life with cattle sprayers and things like that. I have never known anything different.

Describe why you became a fire chief. I was nominated by our board of directors.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? Not a formally trained firefighter, no. But we fought fires all of our lives on these ranches.

Do you have any hobbies? I don’t really have

time for hobbies. Ranching doesn’t really count, but it is a passion.

Tell us about your family? My wife is Macy and I have one son named Judd. My father Bill is still around too.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Our coverage boundary is really large, so I would say distance is the biggest challenge. We are dispatched by the Bartlesville Police Department, so the pagers we have for that are really a huge asset.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? We want to remain in a state of readiness, and we are continually repairing our trucks and equipment.

How can the public help your fire department?

We really need more funding. Our budget is only $8,000 per year, and that really doesn’t go very far.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? Just be aware and don’t burn on high fire danger days.

Department: Owens & Co Fire Dept.

Fire chief’s name: Todd Owens How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 26 years What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? Battilion Chief at Northwest Fire District Describe why you became a firefighter? Love of the job Describe why you became a fire chief?

A drive to better myself in helping the community Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? My whole family from grandparents forward Do you have any hobbies? If so, please

describe them? collecting antique fire trucks Tell us about your family? Always supported me in my career and many are also volunteer firefighters What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Budget and lack of income What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Better the budget and equipment How can the public help your fire department? Help with our finances by paying fire dues Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department?

When there’s no money firefighters take it out of their own pockets

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Hulah Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Strom looks over the engine of one of the department’s brush trucks.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Hulah Volunteer Fire Department Name of department: Hulah Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Tom Strom Do you have any assistant chiefs? No assistant chiefs Where is/are the fire stations located: Just as you enter in to Whippoorwill on County Road 3575 When was the department founded: In the 1980s How many firefighters in the department: 17 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All are volunteers List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? We have eight vehicles. Five brush trucks, two pumpers and one tanker.

What types of firefighting equipment do you have? We have backpack blowers and sprayers.

We also have brooms, which, believe it or not, really work well to put out a hot spot.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We always have needs, but additional equipment would be great.

Examiner-Enterprise • 17

Owens & Co. Fire Department Name of department: Owens & Co. Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Todd Owens Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Assistant Chief Patrick Kelley, Captain Leland Ramsey How many firefighters in the department: 9 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All are volunteer List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

2003 and 2015 Ford Chief vehicle, 1991 GMC squad vehicle, 1987 Ford Engine,

1989 American Engine, 1980 International tanker, 2010 Freightliner Tanker, 1984 Chevy brush, 1988 Chevy brush, 1986 Kaiser brush, 2007 Ford brush, 1992 BMY Stewart brush, 1997 Steph brush, 1993 International rehab, 1987 Ford rehab, 1979 Ford rehab, 1956 Dodge antique engine, 2006 Chevy utility, and 1997 Ford staff.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We need a newer model pumper How many calls did your department respond to in 2015? 110

Thank you Firemen for all your dedication Front row, from left: Justin Chinn, Adam Chinn, Sharon Lockman, David Lockman and Mack McKinley. Back row, from left: Joe Kyler, Brett Kyler, Brent Chinn, Corbin Lockman, John Strom and Hunter Lockman. Not pictured are Tony Kyler, Kendra Kyler, Judd Strom, Trent Barnett, Ernie Barnett, Todd Rippy, Jimmy Edens, Charlie McKinley and Alan Chinn.

918-336-9030 144 NW Jennings

dan-bpb@sbcglobal.net

A trio of firefighters from Bartlesville's Station No. 2. COURTESY BARTLESVILLE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 200

Some people run from their problems.

Others run to them.

Thank you so much for your VHUYLFH DQG VDFULÀFH

HEROES

16 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Stephen Parmenter

Scott Owen

Department: Nowata Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Stephen Parmenter How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 16 years; 5 years as chief What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department?

None Describe why you became a firefighter?

I thought it would be a fulfilling job because I enjoy helping other people.

Describe why you became a fire chief? The position became open and I have always wanted to better myself at what I do so I applied for the job.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? Yes, I have relatives that are firemen in England.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Yes, I enjoy construction and woodworking What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Money, the same as with all small departments and being able to keep equipment in running order.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? To better the training of all our volunteers and to better serve our residents.

How can the public help your fire

department? Getting correct information on exactly where they live and know how to give correct directions to their location if they’re in need of help. There are too many people who have no clue where they live.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? All of my firemen and women work very hard do to whatever they can to help save life and property and most people have no idea much time give up volunteering by responding to calls, hands-on training and classroom training along with fundraising events.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Nowata Fire Department Name of department: Nowata Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Stephen Parmenter Where is/are the fire stations located: 425 S. Cedar, Nowata.

How many firefighters in the department: 29 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? 4 paid; 25 volunteer List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? We have one rescue truck, three grass rig units, two brush trucks, one 1,500 gallon tanker, one 2,400 gallon tanker, one 3,000 gallon tanker and three pumper trucks.

What types of firefighting equipment do you have? We have a variety of different types of equipment.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need?

We could really use a mini-quint truck for buildings over two stories and communication equipment, like pagers, truck rapids, etc.

Steve Parmenter

Department: Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Scott Owen How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 2010 to Current as a member, November 2013 appointed to Fire Chief What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? Firefighter with Washington County Volunteer Fire Department from 1995 to 2010.

Describe why you became a firefighter?

Always had an interest in the fire service and a desire to serve the community.

Describe why you became a fire chief? To support the fire department and aid in its operations as well as aid and assist the members of the department and the members of the fire district that we serve.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? No Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Music. I play several instruments, guitar, fiddle and steel guitar. I regularly play with several local bands and at several local churches at gospel sings.

Tell us about your family? Married to my wife Cynthia for 36 years. Three adult sons, seven Grandchildren What is the biggest challenge facing your fire

department? Ability to maintain adequate staffing levels, maintaining adequate levels of continuing education, rising costs of operations.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Fulfill short-term goals of I.S.O. Review and hopefully reduce the I.S.O. rating for the district members. Set long-range goals for equipment upgrades.

How can the public help your fire department? Support funding projects and laws that improve the fire services, particularly volunteer departments. Be “Fire Wise”, respect burn bans and laws related to controlled burns.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department?

The Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department, as are many others is 100% volunteer. No member receives any compensation, so the public’s continued respect and support of the volunteer fire service is “Greatly Appreciated” by each and every one of us.

We do what we do for our community. I would like to thank everyone and especially the members of the Oglesby Fire District and “ALL” of the other volunteer fire departments that assist each other on a regular basis on fires and emergency situations.

Bartlesville A Great Place To Be

Examiner-Enterprise • 9

Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department Chief Scotty Owens is pictured.

REGARDLESS OF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THEY ARE ACTUALLY

HEROES

Putting your life on the line isn’t an average way to make a living. Fortunately, there are people willing to do it to save the lives of others.

We honor all of the law enforcement officers and firefighters who protect and serve our community in a very noble way.

STUMPFF FUNERAL HOMES & C R E M AT O R Y

NOWATA CHAPEL BARTLESVILLE CHAPEL BARNSDALL CHAPEL (918) 273-1550

(918) 333-4300

Stumpff.org The Nowata Fire Department, located at 425 S. Cedar in Nowata, has 29 firefighters.

(918) 847-2442 ®

HEROES

10 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Examiner-Enterprise • 15

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department

Firefighters from Bartlesville's Central Fire Station. COURTESY BARTLESVILLE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 200

BRAVERY IS NOT

Members of the Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department are shown.

Fires.

6-(2) 1,500 Gallon Military “6 X 6�

Tanker/Wildland Fire Support/Suppression & Water Supply 7-(5) 1-Ton 4 X 4 Trucks with 300 gallon tanks for Wildland and Grass Fire Suppression What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? In addition to the previously

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listed trucks, we carry ďŹ re suppressing foam, attic ooding spears for attic ďŹ res, “Self-Rightingâ€? high volume monitor, down-chimney smother packs for chimney ďŹ res saws, hand-tools, all types of ďŹ re service ladders on pumper trucks.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? Newer 1-ton trucks for Grass Fire units as several of the

current trucks are ten-(10) to twenty-(20) years old. Also, one of the military trucks is over thirty years old and needs to be upgraded to a new or newer commercial four-wheel drive capable of hauling a minimum of 2,000 gallons of water.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? 146 Total Runs for calendar year 2016

THE ABSENCE OF FEAR

ENOUGH

Name of department: Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Scott Owen Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Yes. Daniel Cunningham. His duties consist of assisting the Chief in operations and completing monthly and annual reports to the State. He also assists the Board and Chief in purchasing and distribution of equipment and materials at times.

Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: Station # 1-401501 W. 2700 Road-Oglesby(Just west of the four-way stop at N 4020 and W. 2700 Roads). Station # 2 is located on N 4015 Road, (New Harmony Road), approximately ½ mile north of W. 2200 Road.

When was the department founded: 1981 How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: 20 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? “0â€? are paid. All are volunteer.

List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

1-1998 Saulsbury Spartan-Class A Pumper-Structural Fire Suppression and Vehicle Extrication 2-1992 E-One-Class A Pumper-Structural Fire Suppression and Vehicle Extrication 3-1981 American LaFrance-3,000 Gallon Class A Pumper/Tanker-Structural Fire Suppression & Water Supply.

4-1980 E-One Class A Pumper-Structural Fire Support 5-(3) 2,000 Gallon Commercial TankersWater Supply for Structural and Wildland

BUT THE ACTION IN THE

FACE OF FEAR

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HEROES

14 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Copan Volunteer Fire Department

Kelly Nissen

Name of department: Copan Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Jerry Monday Do you have any assistant chiefs? We have one Assistant Chief.

If so, what are their names and duties? His name is Jess Jellison. His duties as Assistant Chief is to be 2nd in command and head training ofďŹ cer.

Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: Copan Volunteer Fire Department is located at 112 N Caney St. Copan, OK 74022 When was the department founded: The Fire Department was founded in 1968.

How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: Our Department is home to 13 Volunteer FireďŹ ghters How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All 13 of our FireďŹ ghters are volunteers.

List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

American General Tanker- used to ďŹ ght head ďŹ res on large open wildland ďŹ res in addition to reďŹ ll smaller brush trucks as needed Pierce Custom Pumper- used to ďŹ ght structure ďŹ res residential or commercial, and to provide trafďŹ c control in motor vehicle accidents Ford F350 Brush Truck- used to ďŹ ght grass ďŹ res and can be used as a secondary rescue truck Kenworth T370 Tanker- used to reďŹ ll smaller brush trucks on wildland ďŹ res and provide water to rural structure ďŹ res Ford F-250 Brush Truck- used to provide mop up on wildland ďŹ res Chevy 3500 Brush Truck- used on wildland ďŹ res and will also pull our rescue boat Ford F-350 Rescue Truck- used for any kind of medical emergency or motor vehicle accident International 4000 Pumper- used for structure ďŹ res and also trafďŹ c control Ford F-250 Brush Truck- used for wildland ďŹ res and back up rescue truck as well Freightliner M916 Tanker- used to supply water for wildland ďŹ res and rural structure ďŹ res Big Jon Boat- We use this boat for water rescues on the Copan Lake and when we have ooding waters.

What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? We have a wide range of equipment. It ranges from making an entry into

Department: Ochelata Fire Department Fire Chief’s Name: Kelly Nissen How long have you been with this department and how long have you been ďŹ re chief at the department? 30 years/4 years What other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs have you held before joining your current department? None Describe why you became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? I became a volunteer when I was young because it seemed like it would be exciting and a way to give back.

Describe why you became a ďŹ re chief?

I became a chief when the other chief moved, and I knew that I would be able to step in and keep the department going.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? Yes, all 3 of my sons were volunteers at Ochelata, and now my oldest son Cody is a Bartlesville ďŹ reďŹ ghter.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Weightlifting, riding motorcycles Tell us about your family? I have 3 sons Cody, Chad and Chance and my wife

Kim. Cody is a Bartlesville ďŹ reďŹ ghter, Chad works for Phillips and Chance is a Marine. Kim owns Small World Daycare in Ochelata.

What is the biggest challenge facing your ďŹ re department? Keeping ďŹ reďŹ ghters and funding.

What goals or objectives do you have for the ďŹ re department in the next 12 months? To continue to improve with new equipment and training.

How can the public help your ďŹ re department? By helping and donating when we have fundraisers.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your ďŹ re department?

That we are all volunteers and that we do train. People think we just show up and put out ďŹ res. We do way more. We are trying to become an EMR agency where all ďŹ reman are ďŹ rst aid trained and some are EMRs and EMTs. On the ďŹ re side we all take training classes that are OSU certiďŹ ed.

Examiner-Enterprise • 11

Ochelata Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kelly Nissen inspects the department’s Jaws of Life tool that assists in extracting people trapped in a vehicle.

PERFORMANCE THAT ACES THE TEST OF TIME.

Members of the Copan Volunteer Fire Department are shown. a burning building to either extinguishing a ďŹ re or rescuing a victim. The newest equipment that we have is the extrication equipment. We are 1 of 2 volunteer departments in Washington County that has this set of extrication equipment. This particular set will cut a victim from a car in 45 seconds. We recently purchased new hoses for our Pumpers.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? Our department could use an ATV for rescue and grass ďŹ res that our Grass rigs cannot get down to.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2015? 2015 Run Report: 73 EMS, 49 grass ďŹ re, 12 MVA, 7 vehicle ďŹ re, 14 structure ďŹ re, 4 lake rescue, 7 miscellaneous.

Total of 166 runs.

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Thanks to the local heroes that protect us every day!

HEROES

12 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Jerry Monday

Ochelata Fire Department

Department: Copan Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Jerry Monday How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been ďŹ re chief at the department? I have been with the department for 17 years and I have been Chief for the last 6 years.

What other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I did not hold any other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs before I joined Copan.

Describe why you became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? I became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter because I wanted to be an asset to my community and try to make a difference. 17 years ago there was a huge need for ďŹ reďŹ ghters in our community.

Describe why you became a ďŹ re chief?

After 11 years of service as a ďŹ reďŹ ghter / assistant chief, my group of fellow brother ďŹ reďŹ ghters decided they wanted nominate me as their commander in chief. I humbly took on that role in our department. Everything I do for this department I do for this group of ďŹ reďŹ ghters. I want to represent my group because they are my family.

Every one of them I treat as family and that is why I wanted to take on the role as their chief. In a sense, I want to protect and be the one that stands up for them and in between them and the council. If I cannot protect them from the ďŹ re the least I can do is protect them from nay-sayers.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? My dad, uncle, and brother are/ were in the ďŹ re service. My dad and uncle retired from the Bartlesville Fire Department. My brother is still there.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Yes, I have hobbies when I get the time to enjoy them. I like to ďŹ sh and I love to tinker in my shop. I am really a jack of all trades so to speak. I like to weld and ďŹ x anything mechanical.

Tell us about your family? My family is supportive of my decision to be a volunteer ďŹ re chief. They understand the importance of my job, keeping the community safe, and sometimes having to miss family gatherings. Some people would not realize this but we have to take separate vehicles to all activities and family outings. My family is extremely supportive and understanding of that concept. It has become second nature anymore.

HOME FIRE SAFETY. ACT ON IT!

Copan Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jerry Monday What is the biggest challenge facing your ďŹ re department? The biggest challenge that our ďŹ re department is facing at this moment is the Dam being close. It is causing our response time to double due to us having to use alternate routes. We are unable to reach our citizens we provide services too.

What goals or objectives do you have for the ďŹ re department in the next 12 months? In the next 12 months the goal I would like to see obtained is all of our Fire trucks under one ďŹ re house. We are currently working on an add-on and I would like to see that completed.

How can the public help your ďŹ re department? Making sure they have the correct 911 address on their mailboxes or homes.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your ďŹ re department? We are always open to people coming up to the department and taking a tour. Also we love to hear from our citizens and receive feedback. We like showing off what they helped us get to better serve them. We also have a ďŹ reman that works for the town, so anyone can come up at any time during the day as well. Being a volunteer is calling, not a job. All my volunteers are not paid to leave their families in the middle of dinner or a ball game, but once that tone drops these men and women are the faces you see. Volunteers. They do it simply because they love it and their community.

FOR FREE HOME FIRE SAFETY TIPS, WRITE: 8QLWHG 6WDWHV )LUH $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 3 2 %R[ :DVKLQJWRQ '&

Name of Department: Ochelata Fire Department Fire Chief’s Name: Kelly Nissen Do you have any assistant chiefs?

If so, what are their names and duties? Lonnie Ingram Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located? South end of Ochelata.

Station two is on Gap Road.

When was the department founded: 1964 How many are paid? 0 How many are volunteers? All List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicle you have and describe how they are used?

1 — 87 Ford Pumper 2 — 2008 Ford 1 ton Grass Rig 3 — 32015 Chevy 1 ton Grass Rig 4 — 2008 Osh Kosh Tanker 5 — (3) military 5 ton 6 — 88 Ford Rescue Truck

7 — 64 International Tanker What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? We have equipment for most every type of ďŹ re. We also have jaws and other equipment for car wrecks and rescues.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need?

Most of our trucks are close to 25 years old except for our grass rigs. We are in need of a new pumper, rescue truck and deďŹ nitely another tanker. We are also in need of newer SCBAs. How many calls did your department respond to in 2015? 206 — 36 grass ďŹ res, 108 medical, 2 structure, 17 good intent, 5 false calls, 2 service calls, 1 gas pipe rupture, 1 auto ďŹ re, 1 mobile home and 1 barn — garage, and various other calls.

Examiner-Enterprise • 13

Front row, from left: JR Prather, David Brooks and Tara Hoffman. Back row, from left: Lonnie Ingram, Kelly Nissen, Tom Clarkson, Bill Cook and Kevin Ragan. Not pictured are Aaron Lawson, Michael Crabtree, Dustin Connors, Steve Childress, Dalton Leard and Bob Horsman.

HEROES

12 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Jerry Monday

Ochelata Fire Department

Department: Copan Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Jerry Monday How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been ďŹ re chief at the department? I have been with the department for 17 years and I have been Chief for the last 6 years.

What other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I did not hold any other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs before I joined Copan.

Describe why you became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? I became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter because I wanted to be an asset to my community and try to make a difference. 17 years ago there was a huge need for ďŹ reďŹ ghters in our community.

Describe why you became a ďŹ re chief?

After 11 years of service as a ďŹ reďŹ ghter / assistant chief, my group of fellow brother ďŹ reďŹ ghters decided they wanted nominate me as their commander in chief. I humbly took on that role in our department. Everything I do for this department I do for this group of ďŹ reďŹ ghters. I want to represent my group because they are my family.

Every one of them I treat as family and that is why I wanted to take on the role as their chief. In a sense, I want to protect and be the one that stands up for them and in between them and the council. If I cannot protect them from the ďŹ re the least I can do is protect them from nay-sayers.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? My dad, uncle, and brother are/ were in the ďŹ re service. My dad and uncle retired from the Bartlesville Fire Department. My brother is still there.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Yes, I have hobbies when I get the time to enjoy them. I like to ďŹ sh and I love to tinker in my shop. I am really a jack of all trades so to speak. I like to weld and ďŹ x anything mechanical.

Tell us about your family? My family is supportive of my decision to be a volunteer ďŹ re chief. They understand the importance of my job, keeping the community safe, and sometimes having to miss family gatherings. Some people would not realize this but we have to take separate vehicles to all activities and family outings. My family is extremely supportive and understanding of that concept. It has become second nature anymore.

HOME FIRE SAFETY. ACT ON IT!

Copan Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jerry Monday What is the biggest challenge facing your ďŹ re department? The biggest challenge that our ďŹ re department is facing at this moment is the Dam being close. It is causing our response time to double due to us having to use alternate routes. We are unable to reach our citizens we provide services too.

What goals or objectives do you have for the ďŹ re department in the next 12 months? In the next 12 months the goal I would like to see obtained is all of our Fire trucks under one ďŹ re house. We are currently working on an add-on and I would like to see that completed.

How can the public help your ďŹ re department? Making sure they have the correct 911 address on their mailboxes or homes.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your ďŹ re department? We are always open to people coming up to the department and taking a tour. Also we love to hear from our citizens and receive feedback. We like showing off what they helped us get to better serve them. We also have a ďŹ reman that works for the town, so anyone can come up at any time during the day as well. Being a volunteer is calling, not a job. All my volunteers are not paid to leave their families in the middle of dinner or a ball game, but once that tone drops these men and women are the faces you see. Volunteers. They do it simply because they love it and their community.

FOR FREE HOME FIRE SAFETY TIPS, WRITE: 8QLWHG 6WDWHV )LUH $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 3 2 %R[ :DVKLQJWRQ '&

Name of Department: Ochelata Fire Department Fire Chief’s Name: Kelly Nissen Do you have any assistant chiefs?

If so, what are their names and duties? Lonnie Ingram Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located? South end of Ochelata.

Station two is on Gap Road.

When was the department founded: 1964 How many are paid? 0 How many are volunteers? All List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicle you have and describe how they are used?

1 — 87 Ford Pumper 2 — 2008 Ford 1 ton Grass Rig 3 — 32015 Chevy 1 ton Grass Rig 4 — 2008 Osh Kosh Tanker 5 — (3) military 5 ton 6 — 88 Ford Rescue Truck

7 — 64 International Tanker What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? We have equipment for most every type of ďŹ re. We also have jaws and other equipment for car wrecks and rescues.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need?

Most of our trucks are close to 25 years old except for our grass rigs. We are in need of a new pumper, rescue truck and deďŹ nitely another tanker. We are also in need of newer SCBAs. How many calls did your department respond to in 2015? 206 — 36 grass ďŹ res, 108 medical, 2 structure, 17 good intent, 5 false calls, 2 service calls, 1 gas pipe rupture, 1 auto ďŹ re, 1 mobile home and 1 barn — garage, and various other calls.

Examiner-Enterprise • 13

Front row, from left: JR Prather, David Brooks and Tara Hoffman. Back row, from left: Lonnie Ingram, Kelly Nissen, Tom Clarkson, Bill Cook and Kevin Ragan. Not pictured are Aaron Lawson, Michael Crabtree, Dustin Connors, Steve Childress, Dalton Leard and Bob Horsman.

HEROES

14 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Copan Volunteer Fire Department

Kelly Nissen

Name of department: Copan Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Jerry Monday Do you have any assistant chiefs? We have one Assistant Chief.

If so, what are their names and duties? His name is Jess Jellison. His duties as Assistant Chief is to be 2nd in command and head training ofďŹ cer.

Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: Copan Volunteer Fire Department is located at 112 N Caney St. Copan, OK 74022 When was the department founded: The Fire Department was founded in 1968.

How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: Our Department is home to 13 Volunteer FireďŹ ghters How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All 13 of our FireďŹ ghters are volunteers.

List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

American General Tanker- used to ďŹ ght head ďŹ res on large open wildland ďŹ res in addition to reďŹ ll smaller brush trucks as needed Pierce Custom Pumper- used to ďŹ ght structure ďŹ res residential or commercial, and to provide trafďŹ c control in motor vehicle accidents Ford F350 Brush Truck- used to ďŹ ght grass ďŹ res and can be used as a secondary rescue truck Kenworth T370 Tanker- used to reďŹ ll smaller brush trucks on wildland ďŹ res and provide water to rural structure ďŹ res Ford F-250 Brush Truck- used to provide mop up on wildland ďŹ res Chevy 3500 Brush Truck- used on wildland ďŹ res and will also pull our rescue boat Ford F-350 Rescue Truck- used for any kind of medical emergency or motor vehicle accident International 4000 Pumper- used for structure ďŹ res and also trafďŹ c control Ford F-250 Brush Truck- used for wildland ďŹ res and back up rescue truck as well Freightliner M916 Tanker- used to supply water for wildland ďŹ res and rural structure ďŹ res Big Jon Boat- We use this boat for water rescues on the Copan Lake and when we have ooding waters.

What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? We have a wide range of equipment. It ranges from making an entry into

Department: Ochelata Fire Department Fire Chief’s Name: Kelly Nissen How long have you been with this department and how long have you been ďŹ re chief at the department? 30 years/4 years What other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs have you held before joining your current department? None Describe why you became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? I became a volunteer when I was young because it seemed like it would be exciting and a way to give back.

Describe why you became a ďŹ re chief?

I became a chief when the other chief moved, and I knew that I would be able to step in and keep the department going.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? Yes, all 3 of my sons were volunteers at Ochelata, and now my oldest son Cody is a Bartlesville ďŹ reďŹ ghter.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Weightlifting, riding motorcycles Tell us about your family? I have 3 sons Cody, Chad and Chance and my wife

Kim. Cody is a Bartlesville ďŹ reďŹ ghter, Chad works for Phillips and Chance is a Marine. Kim owns Small World Daycare in Ochelata.

What is the biggest challenge facing your ďŹ re department? Keeping ďŹ reďŹ ghters and funding.

What goals or objectives do you have for the ďŹ re department in the next 12 months? To continue to improve with new equipment and training.

How can the public help your ďŹ re department? By helping and donating when we have fundraisers.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your ďŹ re department?

That we are all volunteers and that we do train. People think we just show up and put out ďŹ res. We do way more. We are trying to become an EMR agency where all ďŹ reman are ďŹ rst aid trained and some are EMRs and EMTs. On the ďŹ re side we all take training classes that are OSU certiďŹ ed.

Examiner-Enterprise • 11

Ochelata Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kelly Nissen inspects the department’s Jaws of Life tool that assists in extracting people trapped in a vehicle.

PERFORMANCE THAT ACES THE TEST OF TIME.

Members of the Copan Volunteer Fire Department are shown. a burning building to either extinguishing a ďŹ re or rescuing a victim. The newest equipment that we have is the extrication equipment. We are 1 of 2 volunteer departments in Washington County that has this set of extrication equipment. This particular set will cut a victim from a car in 45 seconds. We recently purchased new hoses for our Pumpers.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? Our department could use an ATV for rescue and grass ďŹ res that our Grass rigs cannot get down to.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2015? 2015 Run Report: 73 EMS, 49 grass ďŹ re, 12 MVA, 7 vehicle ďŹ re, 14 structure ďŹ re, 4 lake rescue, 7 miscellaneous.

Total of 166 runs.

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Thanks to the local heroes that protect us every day!

HEROES

10 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Examiner-Enterprise • 15

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department

Firefighters from Bartlesville's Central Fire Station. COURTESY BARTLESVILLE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 200

BRAVERY IS NOT

Members of the Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department are shown.

Fires.

6-(2) 1,500 Gallon Military “6 X 6�

Tanker/Wildland Fire Support/Suppression & Water Supply 7-(5) 1-Ton 4 X 4 Trucks with 300 gallon tanks for Wildland and Grass Fire Suppression What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? In addition to the previously

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listed trucks, we carry ďŹ re suppressing foam, attic ooding spears for attic ďŹ res, “Self-Rightingâ€? high volume monitor, down-chimney smother packs for chimney ďŹ res saws, hand-tools, all types of ďŹ re service ladders on pumper trucks.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? Newer 1-ton trucks for Grass Fire units as several of the

current trucks are ten-(10) to twenty-(20) years old. Also, one of the military trucks is over thirty years old and needs to be upgraded to a new or newer commercial four-wheel drive capable of hauling a minimum of 2,000 gallons of water.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? 146 Total Runs for calendar year 2016

THE ABSENCE OF FEAR

ENOUGH

Name of department: Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Scott Owen Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Yes. Daniel Cunningham. His duties consist of assisting the Chief in operations and completing monthly and annual reports to the State. He also assists the Board and Chief in purchasing and distribution of equipment and materials at times.

Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: Station # 1-401501 W. 2700 Road-Oglesby(Just west of the four-way stop at N 4020 and W. 2700 Roads). Station # 2 is located on N 4015 Road, (New Harmony Road), approximately ½ mile north of W. 2200 Road.

When was the department founded: 1981 How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: 20 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? “0â€? are paid. All are volunteer.

List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

1-1998 Saulsbury Spartan-Class A Pumper-Structural Fire Suppression and Vehicle Extrication 2-1992 E-One-Class A Pumper-Structural Fire Suppression and Vehicle Extrication 3-1981 American LaFrance-3,000 Gallon Class A Pumper/Tanker-Structural Fire Suppression & Water Supply.

4-1980 E-One Class A Pumper-Structural Fire Support 5-(3) 2,000 Gallon Commercial TankersWater Supply for Structural and Wildland

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HEROES

16 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Stephen Parmenter

Scott Owen

Department: Nowata Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Stephen Parmenter How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 16 years; 5 years as chief What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department?

None Describe why you became a firefighter?

I thought it would be a fulfilling job because I enjoy helping other people.

Describe why you became a fire chief? The position became open and I have always wanted to better myself at what I do so I applied for the job.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? Yes, I have relatives that are firemen in England.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Yes, I enjoy construction and woodworking What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Money, the same as with all small departments and being able to keep equipment in running order.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? To better the training of all our volunteers and to better serve our residents.

How can the public help your fire

department? Getting correct information on exactly where they live and know how to give correct directions to their location if they’re in need of help. There are too many people who have no clue where they live.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? All of my firemen and women work very hard do to whatever they can to help save life and property and most people have no idea much time give up volunteering by responding to calls, hands-on training and classroom training along with fundraising events.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Nowata Fire Department Name of department: Nowata Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Stephen Parmenter Where is/are the fire stations located: 425 S. Cedar, Nowata.

How many firefighters in the department: 29 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? 4 paid; 25 volunteer List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? We have one rescue truck, three grass rig units, two brush trucks, one 1,500 gallon tanker, one 2,400 gallon tanker, one 3,000 gallon tanker and three pumper trucks.

What types of firefighting equipment do you have? We have a variety of different types of equipment.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need?

We could really use a mini-quint truck for buildings over two stories and communication equipment, like pagers, truck rapids, etc.

Steve Parmenter

Department: Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Scott Owen How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 2010 to Current as a member, November 2013 appointed to Fire Chief What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? Firefighter with Washington County Volunteer Fire Department from 1995 to 2010.

Describe why you became a firefighter?

Always had an interest in the fire service and a desire to serve the community.

Describe why you became a fire chief? To support the fire department and aid in its operations as well as aid and assist the members of the department and the members of the fire district that we serve.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? No Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Music. I play several instruments, guitar, fiddle and steel guitar. I regularly play with several local bands and at several local churches at gospel sings.

Tell us about your family? Married to my wife Cynthia for 36 years. Three adult sons, seven Grandchildren What is the biggest challenge facing your fire

department? Ability to maintain adequate staffing levels, maintaining adequate levels of continuing education, rising costs of operations.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Fulfill short-term goals of I.S.O. Review and hopefully reduce the I.S.O. rating for the district members. Set long-range goals for equipment upgrades.

How can the public help your fire department? Support funding projects and laws that improve the fire services, particularly volunteer departments. Be “Fire Wise”, respect burn bans and laws related to controlled burns.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department?

The Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department, as are many others is 100% volunteer. No member receives any compensation, so the public’s continued respect and support of the volunteer fire service is “Greatly Appreciated” by each and every one of us.

We do what we do for our community. I would like to thank everyone and especially the members of the Oglesby Fire District and “ALL” of the other volunteer fire departments that assist each other on a regular basis on fires and emergency situations.

Bartlesville A Great Place To Be

Examiner-Enterprise • 9

Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department Chief Scotty Owens is pictured.

REGARDLESS OF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THEY ARE ACTUALLY

HEROES

Putting your life on the line isn’t an average way to make a living. Fortunately, there are people willing to do it to save the lives of others.

We honor all of the law enforcement officers and firefighters who protect and serve our community in a very noble way.

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Stumpff.org The Nowata Fire Department, located at 425 S. Cedar in Nowata, has 29 firefighters.

(918) 847-2442 ®

HEROES

8 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Tom Strom

Todd Owens

Department: Hulah Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Tom Strom How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? Since the first board meeting in the 1980s. I was named chief in 1991.

What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I didn’t have any firefighting jobs prior. I am a rancher by trade. I’ve been in ranching all my life.

Describe why you became a firefighter. As a rancher, we have always fought fires. I’ve done it all my life with cattle sprayers and things like that. I have never known anything different.

Describe why you became a fire chief. I was nominated by our board of directors.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? Not a formally trained firefighter, no. But we fought fires all of our lives on these ranches.

Do you have any hobbies? I don’t really have

time for hobbies. Ranching doesn’t really count, but it is a passion.

Tell us about your family? My wife is Macy and I have one son named Judd. My father Bill is still around too.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Our coverage boundary is really large, so I would say distance is the biggest challenge. We are dispatched by the Bartlesville Police Department, so the pagers we have for that are really a huge asset.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? We want to remain in a state of readiness, and we are continually repairing our trucks and equipment.

How can the public help your fire department?

We really need more funding. Our budget is only $8,000 per year, and that really doesn’t go very far.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? Just be aware and don’t burn on high fire danger days.

Department: Owens & Co Fire Dept.

Fire chief’s name: Todd Owens How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 26 years What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? Battilion Chief at Northwest Fire District Describe why you became a firefighter? Love of the job Describe why you became a fire chief?

A drive to better myself in helping the community Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? My whole family from grandparents forward Do you have any hobbies? If so, please

describe them? collecting antique fire trucks Tell us about your family? Always supported me in my career and many are also volunteer firefighters What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Budget and lack of income What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Better the budget and equipment How can the public help your fire department? Help with our finances by paying fire dues Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department?

When there’s no money firefighters take it out of their own pockets

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Hulah Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Strom looks over the engine of one of the department’s brush trucks.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Hulah Volunteer Fire Department Name of department: Hulah Volunteer Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Tom Strom Do you have any assistant chiefs? No assistant chiefs Where is/are the fire stations located: Just as you enter in to Whippoorwill on County Road 3575 When was the department founded: In the 1980s How many firefighters in the department: 17 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All are volunteers List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? We have eight vehicles. Five brush trucks, two pumpers and one tanker.

What types of firefighting equipment do you have? We have backpack blowers and sprayers.

We also have brooms, which, believe it or not, really work well to put out a hot spot.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We always have needs, but additional equipment would be great.

Examiner-Enterprise • 17

Owens & Co. Fire Department Name of department: Owens & Co. Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Todd Owens Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Assistant Chief Patrick Kelley, Captain Leland Ramsey How many firefighters in the department: 9 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All are volunteer List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

2003 and 2015 Ford Chief vehicle, 1991 GMC squad vehicle, 1987 Ford Engine,

1989 American Engine, 1980 International tanker, 2010 Freightliner Tanker, 1984 Chevy brush, 1988 Chevy brush, 1986 Kaiser brush, 2007 Ford brush, 1992 BMY Stewart brush, 1997 Steph brush, 1993 International rehab, 1987 Ford rehab, 1979 Ford rehab, 1956 Dodge antique engine, 2006 Chevy utility, and 1997 Ford staff.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We need a newer model pumper How many calls did your department respond to in 2015? 110

Thank you Firemen for all your dedication Front row, from left: Justin Chinn, Adam Chinn, Sharon Lockman, David Lockman and Mack McKinley. Back row, from left: Joe Kyler, Brett Kyler, Brent Chinn, Corbin Lockman, John Strom and Hunter Lockman. Not pictured are Tony Kyler, Kendra Kyler, Judd Strom, Trent Barnett, Ernie Barnett, Todd Rippy, Jimmy Edens, Charlie McKinley and Alan Chinn.

918-336-9030 144 NW Jennings

dan-bpb@sbcglobal.net

A trio of firefighters from Bartlesville's Station No. 2. COURTESY BARTLESVILLE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 200

Some people run from their problems.

Others run to them.

Thank you so much for your VHUYLFH DQG VDFULÀFH

HEROES

18 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Examiner-Enterprise • 7

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Kary Cox

Ramona Fire Department

Fire chief’s name: Kary Cox How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been ďŹ re chief at the department? I have been with the department for 20 years and have served as chief the past 12 years.

What other ďŹ reďŹ ghting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I have been in the ďŹ re service for over 30 years.

Some of that time was out in western Oklahoma in Beaver and Slapout.

Describe why you became a ďŹ reďŹ ghter. It’s just something I always wanted to do.

When I was kid, I told the preacher across the street that I wanted to be a ďŹ reman.

Describe why you became a ďŹ re chief. My fellow volunteers voted.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a ďŹ reďŹ ghter? No, I am the only one.

Do you have any hobbies? I love motorcycling, boating and Jeeps.

Tell us about your family? My wife of 39 years is Paula. I have two grown sons, Justin and Travis, and one 5-year-old granddaughter.

What is the biggest challenge facing your ďŹ re department? The biggest challenge is funding. Our call load has increased, but our funding for expenses has not. It is becoming increasingly difďŹ cult for us to make repairs and attend training.

What goals or objectives do you have for the ďŹ re department in the next 12 months? I want to focus on training and make some renovations to the ďŹ re stations.

How can the public help your ďŹ re department? Donations are always accepted to help us do what we can to protect our county. The best thing the public can do is always be prepared, ďŹ re prevention techniques and reporting ďŹ res when they are spotted.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your ďŹ re department?

We are all volunteers. This is one of the most dedicated group of people I have ever served with. They train hard and work heard. These are uncompensated professionals.

Name of department: Ramona Fire Department.

Fire chief’s name: Tyson Kincaide.

Do you have any assistant chiefs? Kenneth Haberly.

Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: 420 Second St. How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: Twelve.

How many are paid? None.

How many are volunteers? All. One pumper truck, two tankers, four brush trucks, one rescue truck.

What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have?

Equipment for ďŹ ghting grass/brush ďŹ res, automobile ďŹ res, and structure ďŹ res. Equipment such as the Jaws Of Life for automobile extrication if needed. Also, supplies to help with BLS needs until an ALS unit, such as Bartlesville Ambulance Service, can respond to medical emergencies.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We are always working to update and/or upgrade our equipment as much as possible.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? 257 Washington County Volunteer Fire Chief Kary Cox looks up from his paperwork on his desk at the fire station.

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Washington County Volunteer Fire Department Name of department: Washington County Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Kary Cox Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? We have one assistant chief, Chuck Kerns; one captain, Don Kendall; and two lieutenants, Lloyd Guatney and Danny Wadsworth Where is/are the ďŹ re stations located: We have two stations.

One is located at 3931 SE Adams Road in Bartlesville, and the other one is located in Oak Park.

When was the department founded: 1983 How many ďŹ reďŹ ghters in the department: Currently we have 16 ďŹ reďŹ ghters and three cadets.

How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All are volunteers List the makes/models of ďŹ reďŹ ghting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? We have four vehicles; one tanker and three brush trucks.

What types of ďŹ reďŹ ghting equipment do you have? We have two rescue boats and two ATVs, as well as bunker gear and air supplies.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We are always needing to replace vehicles. Our newest truck is a 2005 model.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? We had a total of 122 calls in 2016.

17 were structure ďŹ res the remaining were wildland ďŹ res.

Front row, from left to right; Kary Cox, Nathan Scullawl, Eric Ashlock, Lee Brammer, Ross Grogan and Lloyd Guatney. Back row, from left to right; Cadet Greg Trueblood, Bo Chuck Dyer, Carl Lee, Noah Holmes, Danny Wadsworth, Alan Conn, Don Kendall, Chuck Kerns and Cadet Treston Towers. Not pictured; Marc Bradley and Chris Bennett.

Front row, from left: Blake Chew, Dustin Haberly and Todd Asbury. Back row, from left: Tyson Kincaide, Scott Hunt, Kenneth Haberly, Tommy Grounds, Kenneth Bond and Michael Regier. Not pictured are Dewey Floyd, Kent Regier and Luke Robertson.

Thanks for all you do.

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HEROES

6 • Examiner-Enterprise

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Examiner-Enterprise • 19

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Jared Collins Department: Delaware Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Jared Collins How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department: 13 years. Fire chief —3 years What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department: None Describe why you became a firefighter: Helping people in our community and being able to protect our town whether it be damages from fire, wind or rain, there is always someone to count on.

Describe why you became a fire chief: Our previous chief retired, and I was nominated for the job from our fellow firefighters, to be their leader.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter: My wife and brother Do you have any hobbies? Firefighting, and working cattle Tell us about your family: My wife Heather and I have been married 11 years this November. We have one daughter,

Baylee, who is 6 years old and has just completed her second year of school.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department: Volunteers, and becoming an emergency responding department.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months: Raising more funds for repairs on our equipment; including tires, grass rigs, tankers and pumps, and becoming a first responding agency How can the public help your fire department: Donations and support Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? We have a fantastic group of firemen on our department … we all work very hard for our community. We are always having fundraisers, every June we have a dinner and an auction that we do very well on. Couldn’t be any better group of firemen that we do have not just at our department but in our entire county.

Member FDIC

ahb-ok.com

Three firefighters from Bartlesville's Station No. 4. COURTESY BARTLESVILLE PROFESSIONAL FIREJared Collins

We support our area firefighters!

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Tyson Kincaide Fire chief’s name: Tyson Kincaide How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 27 years with the department. Ninth year as chief.

What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? Firefighter. Assistant Chief.

Describe why you became a firefighter?

To help the community.

Describe why you became a fire chief?

To help the community, and to help all I can With bringing up the next generation of firefighters.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? Yes, I had an uncle that was a Bartlesville firefighter.

Tell us about your family: A supportive family is key in a volunteer firefighter’s life, due to the commitment of time that is required for training and

responding to emergencies.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Juggling home life with the time required for training and responding to emergencies.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months?

Keep growing, training, and upgrading our abilities to continue helping the community to the best of our ability.

How can the public help your fire department? Donations of bottled water, Gatorade and snacks, help with rehab that is required during long hours at response scenes.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? We are always striving to give our community, as well as our surrounding communities through mutual aid agreements, the best possible protection and service that we can.

FIGHTERS LOCAL 200

Thanks for your service!

Companion Animal Clinic

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Ramona Volunteer Fire Chief Tyson Kincaide inspects some of the bunker gear used to protect firefighters.

Companionclinicok.com 918-333-5234

We support our local heroes.

Thank you for all that you do!

Bartlesville 918.333.8300 Pawhuska 918.287.2919 Barnsdall 918.847.2551

20 • Examiner-Enterprise

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Examiner-Enterprise • 5

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Delaware Fire Department Thank you so much for your service and sacrifice.

We appreciate everything that you do.

Department Name: Delaware Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chiefs Name: Jared S. Collins Assistants Chiefs: Asst. Chief 1 Justin J. Collins, Asst. Chief 2 Cheyenne Lee Station Location: 607 Elm St. Delaware, OK 74027 Department Founded: Approx. 1961 Number of FireďŹ ghters: 13 All members are volunteers only Types of FireďŹ ghting Equipment: gas powered fans, generators, chain saws, leaf blowers, self contained breathing apparatus, standard ďŹ reďŹ ghting hand tools, medical/ trauma bags and misc. tarps and materials List of Makes and Models of Trucks: 1990 Central States Pumper, 1986 Chevy Simel Pump and Roll Pumper both used for city and rural structure ďŹ res 2 Refurbished Forestry Military 5 ton 6x6 Brush/ Tanker trucks used to

either transport water to ďŹ re scenes or in battling wildland ďŹ res 1994 Freightliner 2500 gal 6x6 Tanker used only as a mobile water tender 1982 Chevy ž ton military 4x4 pickup with 210gal tank, 1997 Chevy 1ton 4x4 with 250 gal. tank, 2003 Chevy 1 ton 4x4 with 300 Gal. tank all three are used as grass/ slash brush units and the 97 and 03 Chevy’s are used as Quick attack rigs as well 1988 Chevy 1 ton 4x4 with utility bed and 250 gal tank used as a medical truck and back up grass rig What type of vehicles or equipment does our department need: We would like to replace our medical truck with a newer extended cab pickup, ďŹ re hoses, nozzles, connections for the hoses and trucks, ďŹ reďŹ ghter turnout gear, and possibly vehicle extrication tools

ABOVE: From left, Jesten Cody, Rick Cody, Jason Lafferty, Billie Lafferty, Heather Collins, (kids: Beau Lee, Baylee Collins), Fire Chief Jared Collins; Justin Collins, Sabrina Lee, Cheyenne Lee and J.D. Baney.

FireďŹ ghters save more than homes. They save hearts, memories and dreams.

Thanks to all of our local herooes.

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HEROES

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HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Dewey Fire Department

Osage Hills Rural Firefighters

Department: Dewey Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Dale Little Assistant Chief: John Williams Location: 801 N. Cherokee, Dewey When was department founded: 1923 Firefighters in the department: 20. All firemen are volunteers List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used.

One 1996 Class A pumper, one 1993 class A pumper, one 2006 class A pumper, all are used for house fires. Two 2013 brush trucks for wildland fires, one 1993 tanker truck, one 1995 tanker truck, both are used for water support, one 1981 rescue truck.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? All trucks have the proper equipment on them. We could use some newer tanker trucks and some new Air Packs.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? We did 535 runs in 2016

Dewey Fire Department is shown.

For the countless pets that have been rescued, saved and protected...

Thank you

399519 US Hwy 60, PO Box 3292 Bartlesville, OK 74006 ((918)) 766-0991

Thank You Yo From the residents of Circle Mountain, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude and thanks for protecting the people and homes in the area.

We truly appreciate all that you do.

Name of department: Osage Hills Rural Firefighters Fire Chief’s name: Jerry Harris Where is/are the fire stations located: West of Bartlesville in Osage County. We operate from two fire stations centrally located in our two communities, Station No. 1 is in Okesa and Station No. 2 is at Sunset Lake. Both fire stations were built in 1990 with grants received from the E. H. & Melody Lyon Foundation in Bartlesville and the Founders of the Doctors Hospital in Tulsa.

When was the department founded: The fire department was formed as a 100 percent volunteer department and was incorporated in 1986 as an Oklahoma Title 18 department, with a 501c3 non-profit organization tax-exempt status from the I.R.S. How many firefighters in the department: Currently on our roster we have 17

volunteer firefighters that include three EMTs and one paramedic.

List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

The Fire Department currently owns and operates two 1,000-gallons-perminute pumper engines, two 2,000-gallon tanker/tenders, three 300-gallon brush/ grass fire trucks, one 600-gallon military 2 ½-ton truck, one 900-gallon 5-ton military truck, one rescue truck that is also used as a Command vehicle, and a Kubota UTV that is used to fight grass fires as well as search and rescue. We also operate a 1,000-gallon 5-ton military truck that is on loan from the Oklahoma Forestry Department.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? Our biggest need is more fire trucks and additional operating funds.

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Osage Hills Rural Fire Department

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Jerry Harris Department: Osage Hills Rural Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Jerry Harris How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? I’ve been here for 31 years. I started as a board member.

What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I’ve always been a volunteer firefighter.

Describe why you became a firefighter.

Mainly to help my neighbors and community.

Describe why you became a fire chief.

There was a need for it.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? No. Do you have any hobbies? This takes about 100 percent of my time.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Manpower, funds and getting employers to let their employees off work to put out a fire.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months?

Hopefully we can continue to build on our reliability and efficiency.

How can the public help your fire department? We’re always in need of more funding and manpower. We’d also like a new facility for our equipment and trucks. Also, we urge people not to throw out their cigarette butts and to report arsonists.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department?

We’re dedicated group of volunteers who cover a large area of putting out fires.

Jerry Harris

THANKK YOU FIREFIGHTERS

HEROES

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HEROES

Sunday, May 28, 2017

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Gip Allen

John Banks

Department: Pawhuska Fire Department Fire chief’s name: Gip Allen How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department?

19 years; 7 years as fire chief What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? None.

Describe why you became a firefighter? Wanting to help people and the pay and benefits.

Describe why you became a fire chief? Increase in pay and higher rank in the department.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? No. Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? Training, roping horses and judging rodeos

Tell us about your family? Wife - Charla; daughters - Sage and Blake What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department?

Money What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Put in grants to help the department repair or replace some of the old fire engines or buy tools to help the firemen and get some new bunker gear for the firemen.

How can the public help your fire department? Practice fire safety.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? We are a department with seven full-time firefighters and seven volunteer firefighters.

Gip Allen

Department: Bartlesville Fire Fire chief’s name: John Banks How long have your been with this department, and how long have you been fire chief at the department? 38 years and promoted to Chief Dec. 1, 2014 What other firefighting jobs have you held before joining your current department? I was hired as a firefighter, then about 10 years later I was promoted to Equipment Operator. About 8 years later I was promoted to Captain, and 6 years after that I promoted to Battalion Chief. I held that position until I was promoted to Chief in Dec. 2014.

Describe why you became a firefighter?

Back then I had several friends and one family member (Rocky Banks) that worked for BFD. Rocky had suggested that I should consider coming to work for the fire department and in April of 1979 I did just that. Since then other member of my family have also joined the fire service. I have a cousin (Kelly Banks) that is a Captain on the BFD, and another cousin Cody

John Banks Banks that is an Assistant Fire Marshall for the Tulsa FD. Describe why you became a fire chief? I have been doing this along time, and when the opportunity came along to apply for the Fire Chief’s position I naturally thought it

FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Pawhuska Fire Department Name of department: Pawhuska Fire Department Fire Chief’s name: Gip Allen Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Lloyd Arnce, Josh Alexander and Melvin Blossom Where is/are the fire stations located: 900 Lynn Avenue, Pawhuska When was the department founded: The earliest known record shows Pawhuska had a fire chief in 1911.

How many firefighters in the department: 14 How many are paid? How many are volunteers? 7 paid, 7 volunteers List the makes/models of firefighting vehicles you have, and describe how they are used?

502 - 2000 E-One Freightliner pumper

503 - 2012 E-One International pumper 505 - 1962 Ford Pitman Snorkel 506 - 2008 Freightliner M916 tanker/grass rig 507 - 2008 Ford grass rig What types of firefighting equipment do you have? We have two sets of Jaws 1 on each pumper What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? We are looking at trying to replace the 1962 Ford Snorkel with a new one and trying to replace our bunker gear.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016?

(Please breakdown into types of fires, if possible) 24 fires, 52 grass fires, 62 EMS assists, 12 car wrecks and 54 false alarms and miscellaneous

Pictured, left to right, are Jeff Phillippi, Travis Jensen, Lt. Brad Hayman, Capt. Melvin Blossom, Capt. Josh Alexander, Chief Gip Allen, Tyler Thomas, Lt. Mike Bayro and Lt. Jeramie Tuller. Not pictured are Dalton McCosar, Capt. Lloyd Arnce, Randy Wadsworth, Josh Phillippi and Steven Frost. Volunteers comprise 50 percent of the PFD force, Chief Allen said.

FIRE CHIEF SPOTLIGHT

Dale Little Department: Dewey Fire Department Fire Chief: Dale Little How long have you been with the department and how long have you been fire chief? I have been in this department for 25 years — seven years as fire chief.

Describe why you became a firefighter: I wanted to help people.

Describe why you became a fire chief: I wanted to see our department excel in what we do.

Is or has anyone else in your family been a firefighter? My dad was a firefighter.

Describe your hobbies: I love to fish.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department?

Money would be our

greatest challenge that we face.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months? Our chief goals are now are to buy rescue jacks and a 2016 rescue truck How can the public help your fire department? Public support of our fundraisers are important to our department.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you or your fire department? As far as firefighter of the year, I want to name all of our firemen. They are volunteers; they donate a lot of time to the cause and a lot of time to training so they can serve our citizens better.

Dewey Fire Chief Dale Little

would be something that I wanted to do, and want to thank the City Manager and the members of the FD for giving me this opportunity.

Do you have any hobbies? If so, please describe them? I like to fish and spend time at the lake and do so as often as I can.

Tell us about your family? I am married to Nancy, and have two children. My daughter Jena Welter and her husband Andy live in Tulsa. Jena is a teacher for Tulsa Public Schools. My son John D. Banks and his wife Donnita live here in Bartlesville. John is an Inspector for Element Oil Company.

What is the biggest challenge facing your fire department? Everything!!! This profession is very challenging and stressful at times. The members of this department are faced daily with emergencies of all types. Just when you think you’ve seen it all something that you couldn’t have imagined comes up. We are not just a fire department anymore , Fire Departments across the country have become All Hazard

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Response Agencies including Emergency Medical Response.

What goals or objectives do you have for the fire department in the next 12 months?

The department has had a major face lift with the expansion of the current downtown Fire Station. The firefighters moved into the new Station late last fall, and we recently moved the administrative staff into the newly renovated space of what was the old Central Fire Station. In July we will be awarding a bid for a new pumper that will be stationed at Fire Station #2 ( Hensley & Virginia). We also have two other fire apparatus that need to be replaced in the next few years.

How can the public help your fire department? Fire Safety. If you don’t have smoke detectors in your home please have them installed, and if you have battery operated smoke detectors that are more than ten years old, please replace them and remember to replace the batteries twice a year when the time changes.

HEROES

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FIRE DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

Bartlesville Fire Department Name of department: Bartlesville Fire Department Fire chief’s name: John Banks Do you have any assistant chiefs? If so, what are their names and duties? Deputy Fire Chief David Topping, Training Officer/Arson Investigator Bill Hollander Where is/are the fire stations located: Station No. 1 (Central Fire Station), 601 S. Johnstone Ave.; Station No. 2, Virginia and Hensley; Station No. 3, 100 SE Madison; and Station No. 4, 3501 Price Road When was the department founded: 1905 How many firefighters in the department: We now have 66 paid firefighters on the department. Funding for the additional 3 firefighters positions was made possible by the .4% sales tax increase that was approved by voters.

How many are paid? How many are volunteers? All paid positions List the makes/models of firefighting

vehicles you have, and describe how they are used? 5 engine companies. 2 reserve apparatus, and 3 aerial (ladder) apparatus, 2 brush rigs What types of firefighting equipment do you have? In addition to the previous items, jaws of life, thermal imaging cameras, and breathing apparatuses.

We also have three rescue boats, one is an aluminum boat powered by a 25 HP motor and two Rapid Deployment Inflatable Boats.

What types of vehicles or equipment does your department need? In the next few years I’d like to replace our 85-foot snorkel truck that is currently at station two. It’s a 1975 model. Pumper three that is at station three is a 1998 model and will have to be replaced at some point in the next few years.

How many calls did your department respond to in 2016? We made 3,480 calls in 2016.

A piece of fire equipment backs into the apparatus bay at the Central Fire Station in downtown Bartlesville.

The fire station was renovated as part of the construction of a Public Safety Complex, which also will house the Bartlesville Police Department.

A Special Thank You to Our Firefighters

1415 SE Washington Blvd, Bartlesville (918) 333-0380

Sunday, May 28, 2017

HEROES

Examiner-Enterprise • 23

HEROES

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TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A BETTER US From safe spaces to academic achievement to family well-being and more, when you donate to the Y, you’re giving those in need the opportunity to thrive. Give for a better us.

RICHARD KANE YMCA Give today at www.rkymca.org Annual Campaign

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HEROES A TRIBUTE TO FIREFIGHTERS

INSIDE: Profiles of area fire departments and fire chiefs