Tornado Doesn’t Keep The Fire District Down
ALL-VOLUNTEER GROUP CONTINUES TO SERVE COMMUNITY AND PLANS TO REBUILD GOODMAN STATION
You can’t keep a good fire department down, even after a devastating tornado.
Fire officials and volunteers have pulled together to salvage what they can and continue operations after an EF-2 tornado ripped through the town of Goodman on April 4.
The Goodman Area Fire Protection District lost two stations on Main Street and firefighters had to respond to their own emergency that night. It took a lot of time and manpower to dig out the trucks and equipment. But the all-volunteer fleet of 19 active firefighters pitched in together to clean up and help out their community.
The fire protection district was established in 2005 by the vote of Goodman residents. The city of Goodman previously had operated a fire department for years but officials believed the establishment and operation of a fire district would be more economically feasible. With the change, the city gave firefighting equipment to the district.
Today, the department operates with funds from income taxes and covers 96 square miles with five engines; two in-service tankers; one tanker, which is currently in the shop; and four brush trucks, one of which is doubling as a rescue truck.
The recent $3,000 grant from the Forestry Division of the Missouri Department of Conservation helped pay for a skid unit, which will be utilized to fight brush fires.
Some of the fire-fighting equipment is permanently housed at Station No. 1 on Sorrels Road. Other equipment is housed at two temporary locations.
The district has received an insurance check for the main station and the Goodman Area Fire Protection District Board of Directors is currently deciding where to rebuild.
Despite several setbacks incurred since the tornado, Fire Chief Keith Estes is proud his department continues to grow, develop and pull together. Estes, who has been chief for three years, says the department has grown a great deal in sharpening its skill set.
“We have ramped up our training procedures tremendously,” he said. “We have people who have received better training. I’m proud that we have people who have participated in that training.”
The department also has been comforted in the fact that so many people and agencies responded to Goodman in the time of need.
“I had to turn people away the night of the tornado,” Estes said. “We are very thankful for the outpouring of people who helped and wanted to help.”
Since the tornado, Estes said departmental members have expanded their circle of contacts and friends, and have solidified a great deal of mutual aid support through the Ozark Gateway Fire Chiefs Association.
Moving forward, Estes hopes to complete the new Splitlog fire station, continue training and build a new fire station to serve community members.