Lane Strate demonstrates the new extrication equipment at the Exeter Volunteer Fire Department Open House.
Exeter resident Ed Munsterman visits with Rescue Captain Hope Strate about the Exeter Fire Department.
Lane Strate gives Mason and Maize Ogren a tour of the fire trucks and rescue equipment. Below, the new extrication equipment.
This
has already been a very busy year for the Exeter Volunteer Fire
Department.
Earlier
in the year they mailed out a letter looking for funds for a new set of
extrication equipment for the department. This new “Jaws of Life” is
battery powered so they will no longer need to hook it up to a generator.
They
also held several fundraisers this summer including their yearly bbq, a golf
tournament and a corn hole tournament.
The
department is also restarting their Junior Fire Patrol program
post-COVID. Ed Mark, who started the Junior Fire Patrol program back in
1997 has retired and turned the reigns of the program over to Rescue Chief,
Hope Strate.
Instead
of holding the program all during the month of October on Monday evenings they
held a one day Saturday class with fifth and sixth graders from the
Exeter-Milligan school district.
Strate
explained that the students “will have hands on training as well and classroom
time. They will learn fire safety and prevention, planning as escape
route, CPR, and they will get the use the new Jaws and also learn about the
trucks as well as shoot water from them.”
The
department is hosted an open house in October to give residents the
opportunity to tour the renovated meeting room, see the new extrication
equipment, and get a free blood pressure check as well.
Strate
wrote a grant and received funds from Corteva to sponsor this event which
includes food and door prizes. The department also recently received a
grant from the Mary Tous foundation for new bunker gear and bottles for their
SCBA units.
Currently
the department has four members in EMT classes which should conclude before the
end of the year.
Fire
Chief Joe Miller added that training is a big part of their plan for the next
year. “We want to get all of the firefighters trained for CPR along with
training on the new equipment. We want everybody up to speed.”
He
also mentioned that several will be training for fighting wildfires this year
at the Eastern Nebraska Wildland Fire Academy at Ponca State Park.
The
big news for the department this year was being filmed as part of a documentary
on volunteer fire departments. The goal of the documentary was to help
departments recruit volunteers. The film crew spent four days in Exeter
filming department members in their everyday life events and training on
equipment.
Strate
was the driving force in Exeter being chosen for the documentary, “We are
hoping to shine a positive light on volunteering and maybe encourage others
across the country to volunteer in their communities.”
The department is also working towards purchasing a new truck in
the near future.
