Personnel Shortage Keeps Noel VFD Busy
The Noel Volunteer Fire Department reported a good year, despite having a shortage in personnel.
“The guys we have working are doing a good job,” Chief Brandon Barrett said. “We have 10 guys doing the work of probably 25 guys. I couldn’t be prouder. They put in a lot of time and effort.”
The department began the year with the aftermath of the Dec. 26 flood. Firefighters performed about 17 water rescues during the flood, Barrett said. Then the Fire Department hosted a shelter from Dec. 26-28 for people who were displaced from their homes. The town was shut down for those three days.
A portion of Missouri Highway 59 was damaged and closed for several months due to the flood, and that closure affected the department’s calls. Barrett said the closure increased commercial traffic in and around Noel, and there were a lot of breakdowns and motor vehicle accidents. The department also responded several times when trucks drove around the barricades and got stuck where the highway was blocked off and needed help turning around, he said.
Aside from the affects of the flood, Barrett had little to report, other than the department acquired a new boat in May.
“Our old boat had motor issues. We replaced it with one we bought from the state of Missouri. It was an old Missouri State Water Patrol boat,” Barrett said.
Other than that, Barrett said, “It’s been a pretty calm year. Our call volume is down a bit, but fairly steady.”
In 2015, the department had 366 calls, including all types. By late September 2016, the department had received 245 calls for the year. Barrett said the department averages 30 calls a month — one call per day.
“There’s not really a whole lot going on, which is good, I guess,” he said.