Donated money will help fire department buy equipment

By Randy Bell

     Donations, large and small, have rolled in to help the Clinton Fire Department become better equipped to make rope rescues.  The Board of Aldermen, at its March 4 meeting, voted to accept $16,260, which was raised after CFD appealed to local businesses for financial assistance.

     Fire Chief Jeff Blackledge, who noted that another $1,000 donation had just come in, said he appreciates the contributions from more than a dozen companies.

     “That’s a good start for us to start replacing our rope gear.”

     Blackledge said some of his firefighters have developed specialized skills in how to use the ropes.

     “The guys who are on the rope rescue team, they go through hours and hours and hours of training to learn how to do all of that.  And they have to keep doing the training to stay proficient.”

     The chief recalled when his department had to rescue a couple of men working on the water tower near Fire Station 2 several years ago.

     “We had two people that fell.  One fell [inside] the tank.  We had to go up and get him out of the tank.  The other one fell about halfway.  We had to use rope gear to go up there and get him down.”

     Blackledge said the rope rescue team has also responded to pull victims out of wrecked vehicles on I-20.

     “They go down a deep ravine and we have to send [firefighters] down.”

     And the chief said it’s not as simple as it might sound.

     “People think, ‘Oh, you just climb down there and climb back up.’  It’s not that easy when you’re toting someone that weighs 200 pounds [with] all the gear and everything else.  So, we have to [use] special rigging, so that we can get them up safely.”

     He said it’s not the first time the fire department has asked for help in buying equipment.

     “I do remember years and years and years ago, we made a plea to the public when we were buying a ‘Thumper.’” That’s a hands-free mechanical CPR device, which Blackledge said the department no longer uses.  But, just like the recent appeal for funds, the earlier request was successful, as well.

     “We had a lot of the doctors who ponied up money, so we were able to purchase [a Thumper].”

     According to the chief, the donations received for the rope rescue equipment will help to buy what’s needed, but the department is requesting additional contributions, as it tries to tap into all available funding sources.

     As Blackledge puts it: “Money is tight everywhere.”