By Darlene Denstorff
The Advocate
Copyright 2007 Capital City Press
All Rights Reserved
HILLARYVILLE, La. — Fifth Ward Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Peter Roblin is spending lots of time searching the Internet for money to supplement his department’s small budget.
Roblin, who moved to Ascension Parish four years ago from Baton Rouge, gripped a copy of a recent $2,000 grant check his department received thanks to his persistence as he talked about the department’s wish list.
Roblin said the department received the grant from the Firefighters Charitable Foundation in January to purchase pamphlets and other materials to help residents learn how to use fire extinguishers.
“Every little bit counts,” Roblin said, as he talked about his department’s efforts to find money.
Since taking on the challenge to find grant money, Roblin said he and his wife, Meagan, have logged more than 13 hours on the computer looking for grant possibilities. And, Roblin is not the only member of the department looking for funding sources.
Roblin said his wife, a public schoolteacher, is used to researching and writing grants for classrooms needs.
With a budget of less than $15,000 and $3,600 in the department’s general fund, the department depends on grant money and fundraisers to supplement its budget.
While the department has money for the basic items needed to run a volunteer fire department, Roblin said, “There’s not a lot of room for anything extra.”
Roblin is working on a $100,000 federal grant to purchase needed equipment for the department.
He said the department used a $3,000 grant from a local chemical company to purchase dress uniforms for the department.
The department is hoping to get grant money to hire part-time firefighters, purchase a breathing compressor and grass-fire truck and make station improvements.
Roblin said the growth of the area has changed the needs of the department. He said the development of new subdivisions has doubled the number of homes in the area in recent years. Two subdivisions under way will bring more than 600 more new homes.
“Things are changing so fast and we all want to keep up with the growth,” Roblin said.
The department covers the communities of Darrow, Hillaryville and Burnside.
In an effort to raise money, Roblin said the department will soon send a letter to residents asking for financial pledges.
Money, however, is not the only need for the small department. Roblin said the department also needs more volunteers to respond to the average of 30 fire and emergency medical calls received each month.
“We may have a low call volume, but the ones we get are bad ones,” Roblin added.