Generous Donation To Local Fire Department

It may not be exactly new….but it is new to a local volunteer fire department.

The West Licking Fire Department is giving the Muskingum Township Fire Department a piece of equipment that if purchased new would have cost $15,000. It now puts their squad one step closer to hitting the streets. “Its not untypical for fire departments across the country to help out others that may be less fortunate or may not have all the financial ability at a given point in time to have equipment that will really benefit a community so with that said, we approached the board and they were more than willing to make the donation and saw it as an immediate impact to this community.” Says West Licking Fire Chief David Fulmer.

As of right now, the department cannot transport a patient if need be. They rely on nearby departments or Community Ambulance. “Although we have a first responder vehicle, we cant transport and we have about 3,800 people that live in our township and about a 6 to 1 ratio of EMS calls to fire calls so you have to be pro-active, and by being pro-active the future entails trying to put a squad into service.” Said Muskingum Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Benson.

Chief Benson says this Lifepack 12 or AED machine is just another tool that will help them do their job to better serve their township, as well as the surrounding townships. “The fire department members purchased their own squad last year and are in the process of trying to put it in service. One of the tools that you need to run a squad is a Lifepack 12 and its just a way that will put us one step closer to putting the squad into service, which will hopefully be this summer”

The department has a July 1st goal of the squad being on the streets.