Highly respected, Atlanta Fire Department depends on volunteers and community support

[March 09, 2015]  ATLANTA - A large crowd showed up Sunday morning for the annual Atlanta Volunteer Fire Department breakfast fundraiser. The event raises money to purchase equipment for the fire department.

Atlanta Fire Chief Ric Cheek said that the Atlanta Fire Department has the lowest tax levy in Logan County among fire departments, so they sponsor fundraisers throughout the year to supplement the tax. The fire department also sponsors a golf outing in August and a fish fry in September as part of the Atlanta Fall Festival.

Chief Ric Cheek is justifiably proud of his fire department and the volunteers who staff it. They carefully monitor the funds they do have so that every piece of equipment they purchase is paid for when it is bought. The department has no debt. He does admit to needing more members. “We have sixteen volunteers now, but we really need thirty-six,” he said. “Our members are on call 24/7, and the training demands make it difficult to recruit new members,” he added.

“The Atlanta Fire Department volunteers take the same training as the members of the city of Lincoln department take,” said city of Lincoln Assistant Fire Chief Bob Dunovsky. The Atlanta force is held in high esteem by area fire departments. Atlanta is near the top of the list when central Illinois communities need to call other departments for mutual aid. “Atlanta had five calls for mutual aid last week from Lincoln and McLean. Fortunately, we did not have any local calls during that time,” said Chief Cheek.

Helping out at the breakfast was Atlanta Boy Scout Troop 928 under the direction of Scout Master Tim Cook. “We help every year as part of the Scouts’ community service,” he said. Cook moved to Atlanta six years ago from the east coast. “You would never see this high level of community participation where I came from. I’m constantly amazed at how much Atlanta residents value and support local organizations,” he said.

[Curt Fox]