By Carol Meyers
Omaha World-Herald

WILCOX, Neb. — There is more to the Wilcox Volunteer Fire Department than fighting fires in a 136-square-mile territory in four counties.

Although fighting fires is important, the 29 members, including nine emergency medical technicians, provide a wide range of assistance and services and are very active in the community.

From watching the skies for severe weather in tornado season to sponsoring the town's annual Easter egg hunt, the department is busy year-round on events that don't involve a flame, said Tanice Twohig, the department's secretary-treasurer.

A bake sale the same day as the Easter egg hunt raises money to purchase Easter candy for the next year's hunt. The department also provides assistance for the annual Lion's Club demolition derby in August, and it sponsors a barbecue for Wilcox's Fall Festival and fire prevention week at the Wilcox-Hildreth school.

Members Mark Twohig, Rob Stoner and Steven Bergman are among members of a regional group certified in rope rescue. The group — with members from Oxford, Beaver City, Orleans, Axtell, Arapahoe and Wilcox — provides rope rescue from gullies, elevators and grain bins.

The department has also escorted Wilcox-Hildreth Public School state tournament qualifying teams out of town when they leave for their competition.

In last winter's ice storm, the department provided food and shelter during the power outage that lasted weeks in some areas of Phelps and Kearney Counties. Members also checked on the elderly and homebound to be sure they were safe and had food and shelter.

The department was organized in 1949.

Copyright 2008 The Omaha World-Herald Company