Parsons Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kevin White seeks Parsons City Council approval Tuesday to use the streets of Parsons for the annual homecoming, slated for May 6 to 14.
PARSONS – Kevin White, Chief of the Parsons Volunteer Fire Department, approached Parsons City Council to ask permission for use of the streets during the department’s annual homecoming fair during early May.
White said he gave City Administrator/Treasurer Jason Myers a letter requesting use during May 6 to 14.
“The Poker Run is on that Saturday and we will go from there,” White said. “The street fair is actually from Wednesday through that Saturday. We are asking for all the norms including availability of the streets and the parade on Saturday.”
White said the fair is a vital fundraising component for the Fire Department.
“As you know, money drives everything, and without it we cannot do what we do for the city and for its residents,” White said. “We appreciate you working with us. We will come back in the future with requests for some other items as we move into the grant period.”
Parsons City Council members unanimously approved the use of Parsons streets during the event.
White also presented the 2016 call report for the Parsons Volunteer Fire Department.
“We had 172 total calls in 2016,” White said. “That is down a little bit from our normal 180. The worst day of the week for calls is Sunday. Out of the 172 calls, 35 were on Sunday, followed by Monday and then Friday. The time of day for those calls is 4 p.m. followed by noon and 8 p.m.”
White said the PVFD response time for all calls is (from being paged, to being on the scene working) under 12 minutes.
“We are out the door, to the fire station and to the scene in less than 12 minutes,” White said. “We are out the door, heading to the fire scene in less than five minutes. That is the average time of all the calls.”
Myers said he thought the response time was great.
“I like the knowledge that they are out the door in less than five minutes,” Myers said. “These guys drop whatever they are doing and are out the door in five minutes with their bunker gear on. That is impressive.”
Council members agreed with Myers.
“We caution our members to use care coming through town,” White said. “We are very fortunate to have members that live within a few blocks of the station and we are fortunate to have a few members working for people that allow them to answer calls during the day. We benefit from that too. We also benefit from the fact we have several young guys who like to hang out at the fire hall. I encourage it because people feel safe when they see someone in the big red building.”
White thanked members of the Council for working with the PVFD.
“Without us working together as a team (the PVFD and Council) we could not do what we do,” White said. “We appreciate your support with our fairs and other activities because without that, we cannot do what we do.”
Also during Tuesday’s meeting Council approved the second reading of the plan to abandon property located in the alley adjacent to property owned by Jerry L. Hardy Sr.
