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 Located at the furthest southwest corner of Logan County, the
Middletown Fire Protection District serves a 36 square mile area of
Logan and east central Menard Counties. The MFPD provides fire
protection service, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and comes to
the aid of nearby departments throughout both counties.
The Middletown Fire and Rescue Team operates under the power of a
dozen volunteer firefighters. Four, soon to be five, members are
also qualified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT).
MFPD officers Chief Josh Gasparini, Assistant Chief Scott Schriber
and Captain Cody Peddicord each hold advanced training in fire and
field service medical qualifications, with one officer nearing
completion of fire inspector training.
The department not only responds to fire calls, but like most fire
departments today, approximately 80 percent or more of its calls are
medical related.
As such, Chief Gasparini said that the dedicated volunteers train
twice a month; once for fire, the other time is for medical. Plus,
one or two times a year, the department goes for special fire
fighting training at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Many
of the firemen also train independently with other departments, such
as Tazewell, whenever they can. They are always interested in
improving and pick up things while training with the other
departments, Gasparini said.
 Assistant Chief Schriber said, "We are a small department, but we
have the most up-to-date equipment, and we train all the time on
different things."
The department is proud of their average response time. Volunteers
come from all over the area to the station when there is a call.
From pager to the time the truck leaves the station is 8 minutes.
"Our guys are proud of what we've got and how we do it," Chief
Gasparini said.
The department is also proud to be part of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm
System. When called, they are ready to go to other communities and
they are willing to share manpower or equipment resources as needed.
During the big Oasis fire in Lincoln, Middletown took over the city
of Lincoln's station calls.
Assistant Chief Scott Schriber and Firefighter Severan Landstrom
said that the Polaris all-terrain vehicle is a great asset that is
available to other communities if needed through mutual aid. Its
small size and trax wheels make it able to go where most other
vehicles would get stuck. It can be handy for hauling supplies when
conditions are muddy, steep, into brush or small areas that a normal
vehicle can't reach. The Polaris is loaded on a flatbed and ready to
go when and where needed.
In addition to observing the MFPD anniversary, it was a good time to
observe another tradition. Engine No. 5181, a 2007 American LaFrance
Liberty, was purchased last fall, but had not yet received its
ceremonial induction into the firehouse.
Recalling days of horse drawn engines, when returning to the
firehouse the horses would be unyoked, the equipment wiped clean and
pushed back into the bay.
Today, the ceremony calls for hosing down the engine and then
everyone grabs a towel and wipes it down. Special guest and former
chief Harry Boward's wife, Esther, was quick to lead polishing the
chrome siren up front. Everyone, including the littlest ones, who
are the future of fire and rescue, grabbed a rag and wiped, and with
many hands at work the task was completed quickly.
Then, while a firefighter drove, the crew pushed the engine back
into its designated spot in the bay.
The decision to purchase the LaFrance took over a year to make, but
since getting the engine, there has been no doubt that it was a good
choice for the department.
No. 5181 capabilities replaced two trucks and the cab allows two
more passengers for four persons to occupy the engine, a big
benefit. It features 750 gallon water capacity and 10 gallons foam
with a 1500 gal per hour Hale pump.
No. 5181 is now the lead vehicle responding to medical, mutual
aid, motor vehicle accidents and investigations.
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The Department's fire apparatus is rounded out with three
other vehicles. No. 5180 (yellow) is a structure fire engine
that can carry 2,500 gal water and pump 2,000 gal per min at 80
to 100 lbs pressure with 1. 5 to 2.5 inch hoses. Two other
vehicles complete the fleet: a tender (water tanker) and a brush
truck.
Many of those who came out on Saturday have long and deep ties
to fire service. Fire and medical rescue interests run through
families from generation to generation. One of those special
families present on this day was the Boward's. Esther Boward's
husband Harry was Middletown's Fire Chief for many years.
Years later, her son Harry Dean would also become the Middletown
Fire Chief. Esther remembers many nights that her son would call
at hours like 3 a.m. and ask her to come stay with the kids,
they were needed in the field, and understanding she would
gladly go promptly.
The gals in the Boward family, her granddaughters and now a
great granddaughter continue in tradition training in medical
fields including nursing.
Serving as Middletown Fire Protection District Trustees are
president, John Tibbs; secretary, Jeff Dorgan, and its treasurer
is Jim Graff.
 Middletown Fire Department Officers, years of service and
qualifications:
- Chief Josh Gasparini
Member of the District since 2006
State Certified Firefighter II and EMT-B
- Assistant Chief Scott Schriber
Member of the District since 2007
State Certified Firefighter II and EMT-B
- Captain Cody Peddicord
Member of the District since 2006
State Certified Firefighter II and EMT-B
Firefighters:
- Firefighter Bret Tripplett
Member of the District Since 2002
State Certified Firefighter II and EMT-B
- Firefighter Zach Gasparini
Member of the District Since 2006
- Firefighter Shaun Skelton
Member of the District Since 2011
- Safety Firefighter Travis Fletcher
Member of the District Since 2011
- Firefighter Severan Landstrom
Member of the District Since 2012
State Certified EMT-B
- Firefighter Kiefer Willis
Member of the District Since 2012
- Firefighter Craig Brannan
Member of the District Since 2014
- Probationary Firefighter Darron Stapleton
Member of the District Since 2014
- Probationary Firefighter Brandon Leonard
Member of the District Since 2014
- Probationary EMT B Theresa Unger
Member of the District Since 2014
The MFPD is proud of its volunteers that mean so much to
the community and is interested in continuing to train
additional firefighters and EMS technicians to serve the
Middletown community.
[Jan Youngquist]
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