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October 29, 2008

Helping firefighters

Legislators deliver $5,000 checks to rural departments

By Krystal J. Carman

October 29, 2008 — Rogers County rural fire departments received a little extra padding for their operational costs Tuesday.

“I know it’s not more than a drop in the bucket for what it takes to do what you do, but it’s double the amount you were getting before,” state Rep. Ben Sherrer told the fire chiefs. “It was the biggest knockdown, drag-out in the legislature, but I’m proud we got to duke it out over this.”

Each of the departments, — Chelsea, Catoosa, Tri-District, Verdigris, Foyil, Inola, Northwest and Limestone — received $5,000, twice as much as the they have received in years past.

Battling with big cities for dollars to aid rural areas of the county is something Sherrer and state Rep. Chuck Hoskin say is worth the fight.

“If it were up to big cities, we wouldn’t get anything,” Hoskin said. “It’s up to us to fight that fight. No one does a better job with the money they get than the rural fire departments. With the dollars you get, you do great things with.

“It’s easy for guys like Ben and I to stand up and fight for you.”

The fight for the increase in dollars came after Sherrer said he experienced first hand the wildfires that plagued Rogers County and the state in 2005.

“A 40-foot wall of flames, to someone who’s not a firefighter, is a scary thing,” Sherrer said. “I did not understand the role of rural fire departments until then.”

Tri-District Fire Chief Bob Anderson, who also heads up Rogers County Emergency Management, said all departments worked together during that time, keeping county residents safe.

“We didn’t lose one house to the wildfires in Rogers County,” he said. “We work together. We’ve got a good thing going here.”

Hoskin expressed his appreciation to the departments.

“We came here tonight to present you with this money, but we really came here tonight to thank you for what you do,” Hoskin said. “The people who depend on you need to be protected just as much as those in bigger cities like Oklahoma City and Edmond.”

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