RO Fire Department reflects on an active 2023

The Red Oak Fire Department had an active and successful 2023.
Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce said that when it came to the course of the year, their primary calls were for emergency medical services. Also, like last year, Bruce said the department was stretched thin.
“What we face is an influx of calls and providing EMS coverage for those towns and cities around us that don’t have EMS coverage, or what they have has diminished so far that the Red Oak Fire Department is being relied upon to get that dedicated service. It’s a lot easier to get a volunteer firefighter than it is a volunteer EMS provider,” Bruce said.
One of the major factors behind that, Bruce said, is the sheer level of training required for EMS certification, and the increased need, which is continuing to drive down volunteerism.
“There’s the initial schooling, travel for that schooling, skills, and the call volume itself. We have some communities that are well over 200 calls per year; that’s horrific for a volunteer organization, and these calls don’t come in during regular hours. They come in at all times of the day and night, and in varying amounts. You’re seeing volunteerism dwindle down tremendously. Even volunteer firefighter numbers are going down. We’re at about 120 hours of training for a Firefighter I course, but that’s twice a week training, travel to the skill sites, and also trying to work jobs and/or be moms and dads. Red Oak is classified as a combination department of career, part-time, and volunteer firefighters, but we probably only have a handful or less on the department that are true volunteers,” advised Bruce.
With all the changes in society, expectations, and amount of time available, Bruce said the department has done its best to be adaptive to those changes in 2023, and continuing this year.
“We have introduced the part-time staff to help fill shift coverages during the absence of a career individual. Also, we’ve always had a drive to have four staff members on a shift because when we’re inundated with transfers, that’s two folks in an ambulance that are on call to Omaha, Council Bluffs, Lincoln, and Des Moines. As we continue through 2024, Red Oak is providing EMS for the Emerson and surrounding area, and Elliott and surrounding area, Last year, we were covering 477 square miles, and it’s increased from there. A few weeks ago, we were dispatched two miles north of Hastings for a skid steer rollover. We also provide coverage to the north part of Essex, especially if the patient’s doctor is operating out of Red Oak,” Bruce explained. “With a change in an EMS organization north of here with staffing and response capabilities, we have found ourselves going into Griswold to cover calls, or Grant to cover some EMS calls, which traditionally was a Griswold area. Griswold is an all-volunteer organization.
All that coverage in 2023, Bruce said, has created challenges for the department, and the City of Red Oak, because there was a financial part attached to the obligations.
“There are discussions taking place for contract coverages, and working towards what can be one mathematical equation we can introduce to these communities. We’ll figure out what things are going to cost, but they’ll have to pay Red Oak to supply the service, or we won’t be able to do it. Just on the EMS side, we’re being pulled farther than just the 477 miles. In a situation involving pregnancy, we have to transport directly to Shenandoah or Atlantic due to changes. EMS is pulling the Red Oak Fire Department to other areas, and now it’s a challenge of receiving funding from communities for that service. It’s an active work in progress. It’s a huge challenge, but regardless, it’s something we’re working towards.”
Last year, Bruce said, due to dwindling numbers of capable emergency responders, led Bruce and other area chiefs in Montgomery County to implement three department pages.
“We started it up when we were being inundated with wild land fires. The agency in the initial jurisdiction is paged, as well as the two nearest agencies. That was just to insure response, to help out when the volunteers are working or when they are involved in planting and harvest, so response numbers can go even further down. We’ve maintained the three paging procedure for fires. They’re a different beast anyway due to the manner of what can be going on and the safety aspect,” Bruce commented.
Also, while it’s not at the forefront, Bruce said there was an option of the department shifting to a county-wide department.
“If that were to happen, the communities would have to supply funding to the city if it remained with the city. I don’t see any of the  departments closing if that was the case, as we and they can’t do it alone.”
As 2023 ends, and 2024 begins, Bruce said the department and the city will still be facing the hurdle of keeping equipment up to date.
“Infrastructure maybe didn’t receive the seriousness it should have, leading to a lot of these projects like our fire engine that’s over 30 years old, and our generator and cascade system that is 20 years old. Overall, we’ve got to have a plan to tackle these issues, but we have a wonderful working relationship with the city, and they have been more than supportive, especially as the cost of vehicles and materials has inflated beyond our control. There’s a lot going on, and there always will be,” Bruce stated.
As for staff, in 2023, the department worked towards getting part time wages appropriate for first responders who held certifications, and Bruce said they were successful.
“The resolution just went through. It’s officially stamped, and Mayor Shawnna Silvius and interim administrator Al Vacanti were very supportive of us when we went to push it through. It used to be $10 per hour no matter what you did, and that just wasn’t cutting it. We went up a nice bit, and now we need to work out the gaps based on different levels and responsibilities, but everyone was on board with it. The mayor and city council have been proactive on salaries to retain the people we already have. There is a wealth of experience among everyone in our emergency services department,” Bruce advised.
Bruce said the department’s staffing is looking strong going into 2024, with two new paramedics lined up.
“We have one that will graduate in August, and the other one will start paramedic training in August. It runs for a year. We just closed applications to fill a position, and that leaves one shift void of the four personnel. The goal is to get four on each shift, and we have three shifts. In order to do that, we have to rely on support from the city, and then it will fall back to potential contract coverage and making sure we have the staff and equipment to respond to the emergencies,” Bruce commented.
As for existing equipment, the fleet is in good shape, and they are waiting on some new equipment.
“The new fire truck was ordered in June of last year, and it’s a three-year window on when that will be completed and delivered. Hopefully, we’ll get into the queue before then, but they did tell us it was that far out. The volunteers are working on getting us a new grass fire truck, that will be a 100% project through the volunteers,” Bruce said. “We are also waiting on one ambulance. It’s been a bit over a year since we put that order in.”
Bruce said the current fleet wouldn’t be in the shape it’s in without the support of local entities.
“Local businesses like Precision Diesel, Red Oak Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Hawkeye Ford and Firestone, they all come through for us. When we have a maintenance issue on an apparatus, they are quick to jump in and help us and get the vehicle turned around and back in service right away. We’re greatly appreciative of that, because we can’t be down a major piece of equipment for a lengthy period of time.”
Since Red Oak operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, Bruce said the department  must continue to be adaptive to what’s being asked of them as they move through 2024.
“That’s the responsibility we have. We have the career staff, so they know we’re going to answer when they call. We have the equipment and trained folks to help with these issues, which is why a lot of departments rely on us for help, but we rely on them to help us as well,” Bruce said.
Bruce said one call in mid-December stood out as one of the most memorable the department faced.
“Every once in a while, we get a curve ball. The spreader going through the bridge was a new one for us. That required a technical rescue, and once again, all emergency services on site working together. That gentleman was still pinned in the equipment when we arrived on-scene, and it took a lot of work for us to get him out, and the family sent us a nice thank-you on his behalf. The LifeNet crew was also very appreciative. We didn’t have a lot of down time in getting him out and getting him en route to the trauma center,” stated Bruce.
One of the challenging calls the department received was when they were called to the scene of the fire at Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel.
“That fire was in the basement of that structure. That event, through now, has been everyone in the community supporting them in rebuilding, whatever it takes, and supporting them through the insurance process. We’re limited on what we can do, but Red Oak is a small town, everyone is going to stand ready to help each other out when we can,” explained Bruce. “Thankfully, they’ve procured a new location out on G Avenue. Fires are devastating. If we could not have one, we all win, but the reality is they are going to occur, so we do what we can to diminish the impact they have on our folks.”
Bruce also wanted to express his appreciation to all of the farmers and others that helped out the department over the past year, at no charge.
“These unofficial partnerships we have formed and maintained with the rural community is paramount. They’re a part of the concrete pillar of emergency response. They don’t submit a bill to use their equipment. They just hook it up and come. We had a hay bale fire, and a couple of farmers who run spraying operations from the east side of the county brought their semis with more than 3,000 gallons of water, and just said it was there if we needed it,” advised Bruce.
Bruce said there were a number of things they were looking ahead to as they continue into 2024.
“We’re hoping to get the vehicles slotted for replacement, replaced. We have also reconfigured our training program to where we do company and department drills to facilitate training for part-time staff, and shift folks, to our volunteers. Training is one of many challenges the department faces, and we’re doing what we can to facilitate that training. We also have a new fire reporting system we put into place Jan. 1 to make us more compliant with the State of Iowa for our reporting. The nice thing is that it’s a free version the state offers through the fire marshal’s office, which helps our budget. We’re also going to continue to be active in recruitment, and getting folks to the department that fit the program into our firehouse. Also, there has been talk of potential renovations to the fire station, but that’s still in its infancy. The council has a lot of capital improvements to look at in the city, and there’s a lot to tackle. It won’t be easy for them.”