Fire Department poised to kick off fund drive

Michael Gross, Hamlin Fire Department president, admits being a firefighter in a small town can be a unique calling. One day you're reviving a guy who is going into cardiac arrest, the next day you pass them in the cereal aisle at the local grocery store.

"The funny thing about being in a small town is that we know a lot of the people we help out," Gross said. That type of small town charm has shaped being a public servant in Hamlin, but even Hamlin has seen a great deal of change in recent years.

Thirty years ago, the Hamlin Fire Department responded to 20 calls. This past year the department responded to 470 alarms. Of those calls, 263 were EMS responses, 118 were fire alarms, 51 were hazardous conditions and 38 were other service requests.

To help meet the current level of need, Gross would like to purchase more Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to be housed on the department's main vehicles.

For the first time in 14 years, the department is going to kick off a fund drive, which will run from May 20-31. The goal is $25,000 to cover some operating expenses for the department and purchase another AED for the district. Gross is preparing a mailing that will go out to district residents soon. He is also working with other officers to determine whether or not other solicitations will be planned. Gross is hoping that part of the goal will be reached through the United Way Campaign. Donors can designate the Hamlin Fire Department as a recipient of their United Way giving. The department's ID number is 1603.

Gross said many Hamlin residents are unaware of what taxpayer dollars cover. Residents fund the Hamlin Fire District through taxes. That includes the fire house, equipment and trucks.

The fire department, however, encompasses the membership (both active and other types of members) and other facilities and grounds. For example, the fire department is responsible for financing endeavors such as the operation of Merritt Hall.

"Everyone is under the assumption that taxpayers pay for everything," Gross said. "That is not true."

As Gross prepares for the upcoming fund drive, he reflects back on the last drive in Hamlin. It reminds him of the importance of providing fire fighters with the tools they need to effectively do the job. The money secured from that drive, more than a decade ago, helped to purchase an AED. Two weeks after the drive, the AED was used to save the life of a 33 year old man.

Note: Next week read about many exciting changes going on in the Hamlin Fire Department.