TALI CROWE PHOTO
OVFD Fireplace Chief Kyle Negangard stands with the division’s new Engine 333, exhibiting off a few of the storage capability and the smaller tools they carry with them to reply to calls.
The Osgood Volunteer Fireplace Division is responding to calls with a brand new piece of equipment after years of planning. The brand new engine noticed three runs in its first week with OVFD on the finish of October.
“One factor we’ve at all times struggled with previously is scene lighting,” stated OVFD Chief Kyle Negangard, when detailing the brand new options on the brand new Engine 333.
There are vivid battery-powered lights on all sides of the truck, which might mild up a scene making it simpler and safer for the firefighters to handle enterprise when on a name, whether or not they’re responding to a fireplace or a automotive accident. Negangard stated the advantage of the scene lights had already been skilled by his crew.
The scene lights aren’t the one new characteristic for the brand new engine. On both facet of the truck there are storage bins, which the OVFD truck committee was capable of customise to a few of their wants with mounts for air tanks, and slide-out panels to carry instruments which may usually get misplaced in a toolbox. Then within the again they’ve an enclosed area for various measurement ladders.
“This factor has a lot storage, it’s nice. They made it so you need to use each little bit of area attainable for various instruments and tools,” stated Negangard.
With the previous Engine 333, a few of the firefighters must sit exterior the cab whereas enroute. Now, all are capable of match contained in the cab, making it safer for them. The truck additionally features a battery-powered extrication software to be used at automotive accidents. Negangard stated the truck has a 3 and 1 / 4 inch clearance to the storage door at their station. After they first tried to tug the engine in, it was too tall. He stated with the water tank full at 1,030 gallons and the truck totally loaded with their small instruments gave them the wiggle room they wanted to tug inside with the angle of their driveway.
“We did all the maths and an engineer regarded the plans over so we knew it was supposed to suit, however that was slightly scary,” laughed Negangard, recalling the expertise.
The brand new engine now serving to save individuals and property in and round Osgood is the product of a number of years of labor by members of the OVFD. The planning began again in 2015 beneath the previous chief, M. Shawn Negangard, Kyle’s father. Shawn began and headed the truck committee. Their aim was to design and put a funding plan in place to switch their engine. After cautious consideration and hours of design with two completely different manufactures they selected to go together with an E-One eMAX Rescue Pumper Storm Chassis with 6-man cab and 1500 gallon per minute pump, A product with a price ticket of roughly $500,000.
Kyle and Shawn flew all the way down to E-One in Florida for the engine’s pre-build in September final yr, Shawn handed away final October.
“He by no means received to see it completed, however he’s nonetheless who received it began for us with this one,” stated Kyle of his father. “It means quite a bit to me. I used to be glad to be a part of it due to him.” The engine now helps the OVFD roster of 18, a lot of which work out of city throughout the day. “We at all times want extra assist,” stated Kyle. “I believe many of the rural departments are in that very same boat.”
Kyle, who watched his dad rush out the door all through his childhood, has firefighting in his blood. He talks about these reminiscences, seeing his dad go away with a humble delight in his voice, prefer it was so pure for his dad to go off and danger life and limb to assist others, one thing that he himself does now, is one thing anybody would do.
“It’s so gratifying to have the ability to go and assist somebody,” stated Kyle, of serving Osgood and Ripley County. “It’s not simple, lots of people can’t deal with the coaching, however what we do, the service we offer, anyone’s received to do it.”
The division obtained a grant for $250,000 from the Gilmore and Golda Reynolds Basis to assist fund the acquisition. They put up $50,000 from the division’s funds and the city of Osgood helps OVFD to pay an annual lease over the subsequent 10 years to cowl the remainder—OVFD can pay $15,000 per yr and the city can pay $10,000 per yr. Negangard stated they made their first cost in September.
OVFD’s traditional fundraising efforts have been hampered attributable to this yr’s Ripley County 4-H Truthful public occasions being canceled. To assist the division or to donate to their Christmas on the Firehouse, donations may be mailed to the division at 247 W. Beech St., Osgood, IN 47037.
— to ripleynews.com
