Turkey Creek Township Attorney Andrew Grossnickle peruses paperwork during a fire board meeting as Bill Dixon waits for the evening’s meeting of the township advisory board, of which he is a member.

By Ray Balogh
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Turkey Creek Fire Chief Mickey Scott informed the fire and township advisory boards Monday, April 12, he is pursuing grants for the purchase of new equipment.

“We are working on a possible grant to obtain grain bin rescue equipment for our department,” he reported. “The grant would cover up to $5,000 for the equipment.”

The mechanism sought involves a caisson-type cylinder that is positioned around a victim, with an auger to remove grain from the cylinder to prolong survival and assist in extraction.

Scott also informed the boards the department will “need to purchase new radio equipment in order to communicate with our emergency radios” on the new system adopted by other nearby first response agencies.

“Upgrading our radios will provide better communication between our department and several of the departments in our area as well as provide better communications between our department and dispatch,” he said.

The new communications equipment “will likely be over $200,000” and Scott is pursuing grant funding “to cover some of this expense.”

Fire Board

In his report for March, Scott noted:

• The department responded to 18 fire calls and 95 EMS calls, with no fire damage suffered in the fire territory.

• Department personnel logged 498 hours of fire and EMS training, much of which involved preparing two new firefighters for full-time duty and training to qualify for or renew two-year certifications for several department members, which was due March 31.

• All outdoor warning sirens passed tests March 16 and April 2.

• The department entered into contracts for emergency medical services with Parkview and Lutheran EMS. The contracts will commence May 1.

• Having secured budget funding at a previous meeting, the department is researching various thermal imaging cameras “to make a determination which cameras will fit our needs most appropriately.” Scott will report the findings at a later date.

• The department’s annual pork chop and chicken barbecue drive-thru fundraiser will take place Saturday, July. 3, at Station 1.

“We will begin selling at approximately 10 a.m. and continue until sold out,” said Scott. “We will provide prices as the date gets closer.”

Township Board

Township Trustee Julie Close presented her financial report for March. She noted poor relief disbursements for the month in the following amounts:

• Rent, $350

• Utilities, $1,182.47

• Food, $788.14

Township attorney Andrew Grossnickle reported all pending zoning and variance issues for two of the township’s cemeteries have been resolved.

The fire board will next meet at 6:45 p.m. Monday, May 10, in Syracuse Town Hall. The township advisory board will meet at 7 p.m.