Government : Fire Department annual report to the City Council

Chief Charlie Garwood of the Vinton Fire Department presented his annual report to the city council. Thanking the council for their support of the department.

During the year 2018, the department responded to 63 calls last year, resulting in approximately $4,408,610 in damage. 24 of these calls were in the city limits and the remaining 39 were in the rural fire districts. In addition to those 63 calls, 16 times they were called but the call was canceled by the time that they reached the fire station. There were also 11 calls to help the ambulance with lifting assistance.

The 28 member fire department performed several tasks throughout the year. Included are the following events: two firemen meeting each month, attending the county meeting each month, hosting three of them in Vinton this year, Fire Prevention Week, Pancake Breakfast fundraiser for the department, Fish Fry fundraiser, Party in the Park Parade, Fireworks and the 5K run, Boomtown, weekly attendance at the races at the fairgrounds every Sunday night, MDA Boot collection, Honor Flights Chili Supper Fundraiser/ Holiday Lighted Parade, Host waterball fights, wash off the boat docks after water recedes, keeps an eye on water level on the river, Homecoming Parade, Halloween Kids parade, 4th Street Cruise, Farm Safety Day, Health Fairs in Garrison and Vinton, End of the school year PTO meeting, storm watching, controlled grass burns, assisting with searching for missing persons, water rescue, Fireman's Convention, 2 day Fire School in Ames. (Shew! Is anyone else exhausted just reading that list?)

Also included in the information packet to the council was a history of the last 10 years of fire calls, which can be viewed, simply click here.

As of 2018 the Fire Department fleet of vehicles include:

1873 Hand Pumper

1986 Emergency One, 750 gallon Tank, 1250 GPM pump

1996 E-1 250 gallong tank, 2500 GPM pump, 115' Aerial Platform

2000 Freightliner, 2,000 gallon tank, 500 GPM pump, Rural Tanker

2001 Ford 4 door 350 Gallon tank, 300 GPM pump, grass buggy

2005 Freightliner 1,500 gallon tank, 1250 GPM pump, city pumper #2, Rural Pumper #2

2011 Chevy 2500 HD 300 gallon tank, 300 GPM pump grass buggy

2014 Emergency One, 2,000 gallon tank, 1500 GPM pump, rescue pumper. All rescue tol on this truck, city pumper #1, Rural Pumper #1.