When the Lincoln Rural Fire Department began in 1949, it was
located in the strip mall across the street from the old Kroger
store, on Woodlawn Road.
In that day there were two firemen on duty 24 hours a day, and
they slept on cots beside the engines in the one bay. It is believed
that they were paid $150-$200 per month.
One year later the department was moved to its current location
at 914 Woodlawn Road. A community-minded property owner, Morgan
Levi, provided a 50-year lease for a nominal fee. The contract was
up in 2000. Levi had since passed away, and rent has escalated since
that time.
Fallacy: All firemen do is put out fires
Firemen used to go to fires and put them out, and that was their
primary duty. Well, like everything else, that has changed. The
Lincoln Rural Fire Department not only serves as the primary fire
control agency, but it also gets called out for vehicle accidents,
medical calls and mutual aid to other first-response agencies in
neighboring fire districts.
To everyone's benefit, fire department personnel have developed
more skills and become far more interactive with other
first-response agencies. Fifteen firefighters are also certified
emergency medical technicians.
A few years ago the department entered into an agreement to serve
as third call-out for the Logan County Paramedic Association. The
arrangement provides a better use of manpower and resources, as well
as more emergency medical coverage.
Under that arrangement the department provides one man anytime
the paramedics already have two units with crews out on calls and
another call comes in.
All calls are monitored all the time, Chief Dean Kukuck said. At
present the ambulance driver has to drive over to pick up the
fill-in at the fire station.
At the new location, the fire department assistant will just walk
out the back door of the facility and be ready for pickup, saving
minutes that could save a life, such as in the case of a heart
attack.
Ambulance call-outs have turned out to occur far more often than
originally anticipated, Kukuck said; "and it is happening more and
more," added Lynn Haseley, a trustee for the fire protection
district. So the closer proximity to the paramedics will have great
benefits.
The $1.3 million, 15-year bond issue will be put to the voters of
the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District on the March 21 election
ballot.
