The Blade
EDON, Ohio — Just two weeks after the Florence Township Fire Department nearly burned to the ground, it has received enough donations from northwest Ohio communities to get back to work.
On Friday, the department got a slightly used emergency life squad truck from Lucas County, the first vehicle it can use to replace five trucks that went up in flames May 3.
The department of 34 volunteers bounced back quickly from the blaze as it has received reserve fire engines on loan from Bryan and Wauseon fire departments in the days following the devastating fire.
“This will be our first permanent vehicle that we have acquired since the fire,” Chief Jay Klingler said.
With the borrowed fire engines, the department resumed operations almost immediately.
Other equipment to replace gear lost in the fire has been donated by Northwood and Perrysburg fire departments in Wood County, Maumee and Monclova Township fire departments in Lucas County, and Clyde Fire Department in Sandusky County.
“We are back to functioning. We got what we need to fight a fire or at least make an initial attack,” the chief said.
The fire department provides emergency and medical services to the villages of Edon and Blakeslee, Florence Township, and the far west end of the Ohio Turnpike.
“The first priority was to get the engine trucks and equipment. We want to let the people of Florence Township and the villages to know we are still here. Just because we had a fire we are still protected,” the chief said.
Firefighters who went to the firehouse on the evening of May 3 to attend a meeting found a fire truck ablaze in the garage. A mutual-aid call immediately was made to neighboring communities to get firefighting help.
Chief Klingler said the first trucks arrived within 5 to 7 minutes of a call to the Williams County 911 center, but the four-bay garage — with two ladder trucks, a water tanker, heavy-rescue truck, and 2,000-gallon grass rig parked inside — was leveled.
The fire is under investigation by the state Fire Marshal. Chief Klingler said an inventory of the loss is being conducted by the department’s insurer, but has been estimated between $1 million and $2 million.
“The stated value of the trucks was almost $1 million, not to mention the building and equipment,” he said.
Dennis Cole, director of Lucas County Emergency Medical Services, received the county commissioners’ approval last week to donate the 2010 International truck to the Florence Township department.
The vehicle had about 85,000 miles on its odometer when the agency recently bought a replacement and took it out of service.
Lucas County typically makes its surplus life squads available to local fire departments and schools or colleges for public-safety and training programs.
“We try to recycle them and to a user that has a lower volume of service,” Mr. Cole said.
Word of the Florence fire made its way to an employee in vehicle maintenance at Lucas County Facilities, and a request was made to Mr. Cole for the donation.
Chief Klingler said the truck from Lucas County will be used to transport extrication equipment for accidents, tools, and gear.
Perrysburg Fire Department donated eight helmets that were being held for backup. Chief Jeff Klein said the helmets are just a fraction of equipment that Florence Township lost in its fire.
“We felt it was really important to step [in] and deliver a little bit to help them get back on their feet,” he said.
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