Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Grant Will Help Build Fire Station
SUMMERS — The Lincoln Rural Fire Association is going to build a new fire station in Summers thanks to a $73,000 grant.
Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards was given the go-ahead by the Quorum Court in November 2012 to apply for a grant to build a volunteer fire station near Summers.
Jay Norton, association administrator, said at the time that this specific grant required a licensed grant specialist. Cassie Elliot with Visionary Milestones helped the association write the grant.
Norton said Summers has the highest International Standards Organization (ISO) rating.
“They have a class 10 rating, so they’re getting hung by a rope,” Norton said.
“We’ve tried two times to get the grant,” said Lincoln Fire Chief Willie Leming.
“Our goal of the whole thing was to reduce the ISO rating,” Leming said, adding, “I’m sure glad we got it.”
The Department of Rural Services in partnership with the Arkansas Rural Development Commission selected the Rural Services block grant recipients, according to a news release from Gov. Mike Beebe’s office.
The grant program is funded through HUD’s Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program, according to the release.
Beebe and DRS Director John Andrews distributed awards on Feb. 27 in a ceremony held at the Arkansas State Capitol. Leming received the award at that time to build a substation in Summers.
Leming said the fire association bought property a “year or two
ago” to build the station near the corner of U. S. 62 and Summers Mountain Road.
“An ecological study is being done on the land right now,” Leming said. “We should be able to break ground in May and hope to have the station done by the end of July.”
Leming said Summers and Cincinnati would be the main beneficiaries of having a station housed year round with an engine, tanker, brush and medic trucks.
Both Leming and Norton said they think a lower ISO rating would lower homeowners’ insurance premiums.