Missouri Fire Department needs our HelpSquires Volunteer Fire Department is located in a small rural town outside of Ava, in southwest Missouri. The department runs approximately 240 calls per year serving 1,300 residents. They are in an area that hasn’t seen growth since the late 1800’s when it was a thriving little community built on the cattle industry. In fact, the entire business district is can be made up in one sentence. The Town of Squires is home to Spurlock's Store, Squires Post Office, Squires Volunteer Fire Department, Porter's Cafe, Porter's Garage, and the Douglas County Livestock Auction Barn.
The department is funded through a subscriber system. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, a subscriber system is when residents voluntarily pay an annual subscription for emergency services. The department charges $40 per household per year. Given these tough economic times and an average area income of $20,000 per year, only 230 households were able to subscribe last year. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that this fire departments budget is extremely tight. Even when you add revenue for a few fund raisers and hall rentals each year, it makes paying for insurances, utilities, replacing trucks and equipment a huge challenge.
When most fire departments across the have pictures on their walls citing a history of a hundred years or more, Squires Fire Department is a baby in comparison. Founded in 1982, their pumper is a 1979 American LaFrance should be replaced as soon as possible.
As a rural department that runs several multi-acre brush fires per year, the most pressing issue for this department is their 1969 brush truck. After 41 years of service, the unit is literally falling apart around itself. The 15 members were recently told to not slam the doors, because the unit is so deteriorated, there is a legitimate fear that a door may fall off. Additionally, the tank is leaking and not repairable. If any department has either a one ton chassis or a slide in unit available in decent condition to donate, it would be greatly appreciated. It’s important that we as a brotherhood try to get these fellow firefighters back in a safe brush truck soon.
Lastly, Squires Fire Department is in need of 5 low band portable radios. Their dispatch operates on 153 khz and communications is becoming a real issue because of their older radios.
If any department has the ability to assist this department in their time of need, please contact Dan Macakanja, Coordinator of Hancock Hope, at 716-785-8491, or email
dmacakanja@fireman.netwww.hancockhope.com
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