By Bill Perrin (for) Stevensville Volunteer Firefighters Associations
Fire Prevention Week took place Oct. 9-15. These dates commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 stuctures and burned more than 2000 acres.
The Stevensville Volunteer Firefighters encourage you to check your smoke detectors for manufacture date. Any detectors over 10 years old should be replaced. Also, you should change the batteries at least annually.
The Stevensville Volunteer Firefighters Associations are once again conducting our annual beef raffle fundraiser and asking for your assistance. This year’s first place prize will be half a beef, including processing. Second prize is $200 cash. Third prize is $100 cash. Ticket cost is $1.00 each. You can return the enclosed ticket with your donation in the envelope you received in the mail. The firefighters will fill out additional tickets in your name for each $1.00 donated. The drawing will be held on Friday, November 4th, 2016. You need not be present to win.
In the past, the residents of Stevensville and the surrounding area have been very supportive in recognizing the volunteer firefighters and their contribution to the community. As a volunteer fire department, your contribution plays a very important role in keeping fire protection strong and well equipped to provide emergency fire, rescue and medical services in Stevensville.
The Stevensville Town and Rural Fire Departments had a busy and productive year in 2015. The departments’ members left their homes and places of work to respond to 578 calls, sacrificing anywhere from a half hour to a half day per call. Our volunteer hours for 2015 totaled nearly 9000 hours, with individual volunteer hours ranging from 30 to 850 hours.
We do thank everyone who has supported us in the previous years. With past donations we were able to purchase AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators). Today fifteen vehicles in the fleet have these lifesaving machines and others are stationed at Stevensville Schools, the swimming pool, and Valley Drug & Variety. This year we replaced our rescue vehicle and we would like to purchase rescue equipment for this vehicle to assist us in firefighting emergencies.
We would like to point out that this fundraising event is for the Stevensville Firefighters Associations. If you have received a letter and do not reside in the Stevensville Rural Fire District or Town of Stevensville, you are more than welcome to participate. We do not wish to take away from your fire department’s various fundraising events, so please remember them as well.
Thank you for your continued support!