Hayes County Volunteer Fire and Rescue (HCVFD) is a very rural volunteer fire department in Southwest Nebraska. The department consists of 25 volunteers who give of their time and energy to support the roughly 900 people living in our 600+ square mile fire district as well as those in our area and throughout the state as part of our mutual aid agreements. The department has been working diligently to improve our firefighting capability and upgrade the equipment and personal protective gear that our volunteers need to safely perform their duties. One of the biggest needs the department has is to replace a 1996 F-350 Grass Rig (Type 6) fire truck. The truck has 215,000 miles and needs to be replaced. A replacement Type 6 truck will cost approximately $130,000-$140,000. The typical life span of a wildland fire truck in the United States is 15 years. A properly spec'd out Type 6 will last our department longer than that.
The department has recently joined the Southwest Mutual Aid Fire District (SWMA) and has become very active on the SWMA Strike Team. The SWMA Strike Team is available to respond to fires throughout the state of Nebraska and is frequently called in when large fire events take place. Anytime the SWMA Strike Team is activated, HCVFD attempts to provide a Type 6 and two firefighters to the activation. Improving the reliability of the two Type 6 fire trucks that HCVFD has will benefit not only Hayes County but the entire state of Nebraska and our ability to respond effectively statewide.
Six members of HCVFD have taken it upon themselves to become red card certified wildland firefighters. The red card certification is a 40-hour class with both classroom and field training to improve an individual's ability to safely and effectively fight wildland fires. After completing the class those trained must take an annual 8-hour recertification class as well as pass an annual physical test to maintain their certification. Those that have their red cards are the members who serve on the SWMA Strike Team and give additional hours to support fires throughout the state of Nebraska.
In order to maintain an effective rural volunteer fire department, it takes not only the volunteers who serve on the department itself, but those throughout the community and region that give financially to help provide necessary gear and equipment, and those that provide meals and supplies when large fire events take place. We are grateful to all who support the department and help us improve our effectiveness and personal safety!
Your financial gift will help us upgrade one of our most important firefighting tools and as a result help us respond throughout the state of Nebraska and return safely home to our families after the event.!
