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Nov. 22--WEATHERFORD -- After Silver Creek VFD voted Friday to sign a contract with ESD No. 1, officials began taking steps over the weekend and Monday to begin dispatching volunteers from the Silver Creek fire station.
VFD officers are expected to sign the contract in the near future. In the mean time, ESD No. 1 has placed two compensated volunteers who are firefighter certified and EMTs, along with two reserve ESD trucks, at the Silver Creek VFD station from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Similar to Springtown and La Junta VFDs, they are now dispatching Silver Creek VFD out of Springtown, fire officials said. However, as the volunteer department gets back on its feet, they will be automatically dispatching a second department along with Silver Creek VFD until they can wean the department off support from La Junta VFD response, ESD No. 1 Chief Eric Vinson said.
As officials took inventory and checked equipment at the station Monday, one area resident driving by saw the open doors and stopped at the fire station to ask about the situation and whether firefighters would be dispatched again from the station.
Mike Nowell, a resident of Baughman Hill Road who collected 20 signatures to petition ESD No. 1 to place annexation on the ballot, said he is happy that EMTs will be available to respond during the day time.
Nowell, who said he waited more than 45 minutes while having a heart attack before medical help arrived, began asking questions and talking with Commissioner George Conley, ESD No. 1 and the volunteer fire department about why it took so long for the ambulance to arrive and first responders never showed.
His cardiologist was surprised he survived, Nowell said.
"The voters out here knew something had to be done," Nowell said of the recent election results showing strong support for ESD annexation.
After two Silver Creek VFD volunteers declined to continue responding to calls several months ago, citing safety concerns, and leaving just two or three remaining responding volunteers, Parker County divided coverage of the fire district between ESD No. 1, ESD No. 3 and Aledo.
The county's tanker was put in the Rollins Hills Estate neighborhood for a period of time to help with response in the area.
"It's an excellent spot tactically," Parker County Fire Marshal Shawn Scott said of the return to the Silver Creek fire station.
Scott said he expects there may be some growing pains as they grow their volunteer base and bring equipment up to speed.
They expect to start with a core group of volunteers remaining in Silver Creek VFD, Vinson said.
The deputy chief he has chosen is from outside both the department and ESD No.1 will appoint his own command staff at the new station, Vinson said.
As soon as the ESD No. 1 Board of Commissioners approve hiring paid firefighters, he wants to begin that process and place paid staff in the station similar to Springtown and La Junta, Vinson said.
Much of Silver Creek's equipment also needs maintenance, from mechanical issues to pump issues, Vinson said.
In the next few weeks, the ESD's mechanic will be working on those issues, Vinson said.
