Equipment is costly, taxes continue to rise, available volunteers are harder to come by, and the volume of calls keeps growing. Loudon Fire Department, like many other small fire departments, can use all the help it can get.
As of late, the the department has had a little boost thanks to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Its director of operations, Tom Blanchette joined up as a volunteer firefighter two years ago, and in addition to providing his time and firefighting skills, he’s also helped the department make use of the speedway’s hydraulic tool set.
NHMS contracts its own fire and EMS services through Speedway Safety Services of Claremont, and has access to AMKUS hydraulic extrication tool sets.
“We use those tools here on property exclusively,” said Blanchette. Since the speedway only operates between approximately May and October, the rest of the year, Blanchette said, those tools are just sitting in storage.
Loudon Fire Department, which has two stations to cover the two ends of town, is in need of a second hydraulic extrication tool set – one of the two it currently has is outdated, and is limited in what it can do. It can get access to someone stuck in a car, Blanchette said, but couldn’t necessarily get them out.
“‘Aged’ I guess is the best way to put it,” he said. In the past, if firefighters really needed the heavy duty extrication tools in an area of town closer to the station that had just the older set of tools, a fire engine might have to drive past an accident to go to its second station, pick up the equipment, and drive back.
The fire department is trying to replace the old extrication tool set. But since it comes with an estimated $35,000 price tag, the department is waiting on a Deptartment of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighers Grant. Deputy fire chief Bill Laker said that cost wasn’t something the department wanted to put on residents.
“The town of Loudon has been pretty good to us over the years,” said Lake. “We just don’t want to overask because we know everybody else is overburdened.”
“We’re taxpayers too,” said Chief Rick Wright. “We’re aware of this.”
In the meantime, Blanchette and NHMS are helping out. He’s arranged for the department to use the speedway’s hydraulic extrication tools during the offseason, and it was utilized for five or so car accidents this winter.
It currently sits on Engine 1, and comes in several pieces. Laying it out on the ground Tuesday afternoon, Blanchette pointed to one tool that can lift a car off a person, another that cuts through metal, and a third that can be used to pry. A gasoline hydraulic pump, attached to a hose, powers it all.
“By having this tool out here,” Blanchette said, “we’re able to get to a scene much quicker.”
Wright added, “It’s been handy.”
Blanchette, a Loudon Fire Department captain, is one of the 30 volunteer firefighters that, when possible, responds to a fire, car accident, or medical emergency. Loudon also has five full-time employees, though Wright and Blanchette said the department is struggling to keep up with its calls, and this appears to be a local trend.
“Small communities could use more help at all times of the day,” Blanchette said. “I think every fire department in the area is really down on help. It’s a struggle everywhere.”
Lake said, “There’s a gap.”
Over time, firefighters have become less able to leave their workplace during the day to respond to a call.
“That’s not common anymore,” Blanchette said. “It ultimately comes down to money in somebody’s pocket – employers are much more hesitant to let anybody go because profit margins are so small in today’s world.”
He added, “The number of calls I don’t think has gone down.”
“No, they’re going up,” said Wright.
At least at NHMS, Blanchette said he and his assistant, Rob Morin, who’s also a fire captain, are able to leave when a call comes in. It’s generally easier to operate the hydraulic tools or do any other emergency work with more than one firefighter, though Blanchette, in the past, has gotten to the scene first and done it alone.
“That’s why we put an ‘S’ on his chest,” Wright said. “Super Tommy.”
Blanchette said he’s only able to do this because his employer is flexible when it comes to fire calls, and that the fire department would appreciate having more businesses with the same attitude.
“I think that the race track wants to be a good partner with the town,” he said. “We realize w
(Elodie Reed can be reached at 369-3306, ereed@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @elodie_reed.)