Thanks to the generosity of a neighboring fire district, the Benton Fire Department now has two trucks to fight local fires.
The Buckner Fire Department has loaned a 1995 pumper to Benton after hearing the department was down to one truck. Buckner has agreed to let Benton use the truck as long as it is needed.
The Benton department was down to one truck after its aerial truck was deemed inoperable and a 21-year-old truck broke down and is now at Banner Fire Equipment in Roxana undergoing repairs for a pump transmission.
City Fire Commissioner Don Storey told the department to not take its only truck out of town when the second truck broke down. Then the inevitable occurred – a major fire occurred at Lake of Moses and the department was unable to respond. A residence burned to the ground. Storey told the city council a week ago Monday he takes full responsibility for the mandate.
“I had two departments step up, Buckner and Marion, and say, ‘Hey, if you need a little help, we’re here to help you. We have reserve engines we would allow you to use until you get something going again.’ Obviously, that was a great gesture and for the sake of not only our community but the smaller communities around here … by getting this second engine it will help us provide a service to them as well,” said Benton Chief Shane Cockrum. “Here we are in a time of need and we had one of the smallest communities and one of the largest communities in Southern Illinois both offering the same equipment. That’s pretty impressive and it shows there are no boundaries when it comes to help.”
Meanwhile, department officials were dispatched to Texas to examine a used aerial truck last week – a trip that turned out to be unfruitful, according to Cockrum.
“We didn’t think it would serve the community for a period of time that we would expect for that kind of money. It was overpriced ($350,000) and honestly, it was in worse shape than anything we’ve got in the station,” he said.
City officials have scheduled a special meeting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to review bids for new aerial trucks. Storey has previously provided an estimate of $800,000 for a new aerial truck.
“I did seek out used because I wanted to be as fiscally responsible as I could be but I found out that it’s not really working that way, it’s not going to be a fiscally responsible purchase, as a matter of fact, it’s likely to the opposite of that and is likely to cost the taxpayers a lot of money,” Cockrum said.
“I am thankful we have a reserve apparatus to donate the use of to the Benton Fire Department. The true brotherhood/sisterhood in the fire service knows no boundaries,” stated Buckner Fire Chief David Dolderer on his Facebook page. “Whether it is across the street, across town, county lines, state lines, or across country … this is what it is about: Helping others in our time of need. It is our pleasure to help out Chief Cockrum and BFD in their time of need.”
The out of town mandate has been lifted as a result of this past weekend’s developments; the West Frankfort department will respond if an aerial truck is needed, Cockrum said.
