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Show Fire Plan Works Well, Officials Report use, City Manager Bruce Fullmer says it is still functional and will likely be brought up to a better state of repair. In addition to its purchase of the fire truck, Panguitch recently moved its fire siren from a pole only 20 feet high to a new location where the pole is 65 feet high, providing for a better warning warn-ing system. Approximately 20 volunteers respond to fires in Panguitch. Most attended a special training school this past summer. Panguitch has an emergency telephone number for residents to call in case of fire: 676-2211. Jon Torgerson, mayor-elect, has served as fire chief. It is expected that lie will appoint a new chief upon taking office in Janaury. In other towns in the county, Boulder, which received the same $1,000 allotment allot-ment as other small towns, purchased, by adding additional funds from the town, fire hose, nozzles, a Y to permit two smaller hoses to be attached to the larger hose and provide for greater flexibility and wider coverage when Tighting Tires. Escalante, which supoprts tne program "wholeheartedly" according to Mayor Dale Marsh, purchased additional ad-ditional Tire hoses and incidentals and is saving towards the purchase of more expensive equipment which is badly needed. Cannonville saved its allotment to be used toward insulating its new firehouse. Tropic purchased firehoses, nozzle and wrenches with its county funds, added city funds towards the equipment. equip-ment. Cannonville, Hatch, Escalante, and Henrieville will each receive less in 1982 than they did in 1981, while other towns will receive slightly more. Each county official had only praise for the plan which is making it possible for them to upgrade their firefighting capacity and better protect not only residents of the individual communities but also those in outlying areas. Garfield County's cooperative agreement with county municipalities for fire protection appears to be working well according to most spokesmen for the local governmental units. The plan which was initiated earlier in the year provides funds to the municipalities from the county in return for their promise to provide for protection for areas surrounding their boundaries. A check around the county indicated that the participating communities are unanimously in favor of the program proposed by Commissioner George Middleton in a series of meetings early in 1981. Each community received a check from the county based upon its assessed evaluation, with special areas such as Panguitch Lake, Bryce Canyon area, and Ticaboo each receiving proportionate amounts of funds available for distribution. Each community agreed not to use its funds specifically to upgrade its firefighting capacity in some way. One of the first to act, Panguitch Lake area residents agreed upon the purchase of a ton truck with a 600 gallon capacity water tank and pump. The fire truck, is kept at Deer Trail Lodge and Fireside : Inn at Panguitch Lake. !Some additional tools were also purchased and while the amounts allotted for 1982 will be considerably less, plans are to continue with the purchase of additional firefighting equipment. Residents of the Panguitch Lake area contributed additional funds to the purchase of th is year's truck and donations from private individuals and local businesses are continuing to come in. Antimony, Hatch, and Henrieville worked with county commissioners who helped them locate needed equipment for their towns. Each receive $1,000 under this year's allotment allot-ment but will recive slightly under that for 1982. A major purchase by Panguitch of a new Pierce mini-pumper fire truck ndirats what can be accomplished. Panguitch matched funds with the county donation to come up with the fast response four-wheel-drive vehicle. Though the tank holding capacity is smaller than the city's older fire truck 250 gallons as opposed to 500 its ability to pump 400 gallons per minute and speed and maneuverability was a deciding factor in the choice to purchase. pur-chase. Panguitch is responsible for fire protection ten miles outside its boundaries boun-daries and city fathers worried that a truck responding to a fire outside city limits would leave the city itself vulnerable to fire. With two well functioning fun-ctioning trucks, one can be dispatched and the other remain in town for protection. In the event of a structure fire, both tracks would be dispatched. The older truck, purchased in 1966, is a 1959 model pumper. Panguitch has a third fire truck, a 1929 American LaFrance, which some residents can recall from its earlier days when it was a modern piece of fire-fighting equipment. While not in V I i S ( V':; it. u J-n -.Au i' Hick Lutes f v . i 'A -i -' - . i- I I. ' , .. ' f '; ;':(' ' " . , j ";! , .iii am n mill" t Youngsters were wall to wall In the t Panguitch branch of Zions First National Na-tional Bank 1st week as Santa arriv-. arriv-. ed to visit and listen to special Christmas wishes. One young fan, Christy Barney, 5 months, of Panguitch seems totally captived by the jolly old gent. Elementary students once again mpde tree decorations for the bank and received receiv-ed a check totaling $75 for their efforts. |