Midwest small town fire departments face closure

November 06, 2009 04:21 AM

The Associated Press via The Bismarck Tribune

MERRICOURT, N.D. — The town of Merricourt used to have its own fire department. Now, fires in and around the town are fought by fire departments in Ellendale and Edgeley.

Merricourt, a town of less than five people about 50 miles south of Jamestown, lost its fire department about three years ago because its fire chief retired and no one took over, said John Elstad, deputy fire marshal for central North Dakota.

“It’s never a good thing when a fire department has to close up,” Elstad said.

Small-town fire departments are closing across the Midwest, said Lois Hartman, the retiring North Dakota Firefighters Association executive director.

The departments need more money and equipment and they have expansive service areas that continue to grow, she said. These challenges result in longer response times, fewer volunteers and more areas at risk.

When Merricourt’s fire department disbanded, the Edgeley Volunteer Fire Department picked up some of its service area, said Greg Gibson, Edgeley’s fire prevention officer. That department’s combined service area is greater than the areas served by firefighters in Bismarck or Grand Forks.

Fire departments such as Edgeley’s receive money from each fire fought through homeowners’ insurance policies or from the homeowners themselves, Gibson said. The Edgeley Fire Department also receives a small amount from the state and from federal programs, but not enough to purchase the equipment it needs.

The department’s current protective gear is about 20 years old and does not meet the National Fire Protection Association code, Gibson said.

Federal Emergency Management Agency and state grants can help pay for equipment upgrades, Elstad said.

“The problem that arises with a fire grant is the amount of money needed to match the percent of money,” he said.

For example, a new truck costs about $180,000.

FEMA expects small departments to foot 10 percent of the bill — or $18,000 — almost an entire year’s budget, said Alan Nitschke, a firefighter in Edgeley and chief of the Jud fire district.