The Kimball Area Fire and Rescue Department is looking to add new volunteers to the present squad. In the past eight months, three members have left the department and it is currently in the process of filling those vacancies. “We had one person retire last year, one moved away from the city last month and another person took a leave of absence,” said Tom Ehlinger, Kimball Area Fire and Rescue Department Chief. “We would like to put in three to four more people in the department.” The Kimball Area Fire and Rescue Department is made up of people living or working in Kimball who are willing to devote their spare time to serve the city in the case of a fire or medical emergency. At present, there are 23 volunteers in the department. The minimum number of volunteers needed to run the department is 20, while the maximum is 30. The department’s goal is to bring in four new volunteersto bring the personnel count to 27, well above the required amount. Ehlinger is hoping applications for the vacant positions will arrive by Oct. 1 so that they will be able to attend the required training that begins later that month. To be eligible for the open positions, an applicant must either live near the Kimball fire district or work at least 40-hours per week within city limits. The reason for this, Ehlinger said, is so that the department’s volunteers are in the Kimball area for most of the day and thus, will be able to respond to emergencies when needed. Next, come the tests. All of the applicants will be scored over a 100-point system. Thirty of those points will be judged on the applicants’ ability to pass physical agility tests. One of the tests requires the candidate to lift 50 pounds off the floor and place it on either shoulder and carry the weight 100 feet without running or stopping within 30 seconds. Then there are 10 points that must be earned through the necessary training. “They have to go through first-responder training (a 40-hour course) and firefighter training (110-hour course),” said Ehlinger, who has been on the department since 1987. Mark Dockery remembers what the training was like when he joined the squad two years ago. “Personally, I thought the training was long but fascinating,” Dockery said. ” The training broadened my horizons.” He suggests applicants talk to members of the department first to a get an idea of how much time they may end up spending serving the department. “This can be stressful for married folks,” Dockery said. “A lot of nights, you’re gone. There is the training and then the (emergency) calls. The first year is the biggest commitment.” Besides the training, there are interviews with the department’s chief, assistant chief, one rescue captain and one fire captain worth 50 points. “Dedication is number one. They need to be very involved,” Ehlinger said. “We get 140 calls a year on average and our requirement is a member (of the department) make 25 percent of those calls.” Furthermore, Ehlinger said applicants will have to prove they can handle the pressure that comes with this line of duty. “We need people who don’t panic, work well with others and remain calm under pressure,” Ehlinger said. Bob Erickson is another member of the department who came on aboard with Dockery two years ago. In his opinion, not everyone is suited for this kind of service. “You’ve got to be the right person for this responsibility,” Erickson said. “You’ve got to have the stomach for it.” Applicants must aged 18 or older but Ehlinger said that the department is extra cautious when selecting 18-year-old candidates because many tend to leave after a few years to attend college. The department, he said, is more interested in bringing on volunteers who will be on board long-term. “If we get an 18-year-old who will remain and work in the community for a while, then we’ll take him or her,” Ehlinger said. ” It all depends on the situation.”
