Polk Twp. fire company to renovate its fire hall

Polk Township Volunteer Fire Company will be very busy over the next few months.

After the Dec. 16 breakfast the fire company hall will be closed for three months for renovations.

“We will be renovating the hall to make it less of a firehouse hall and more of a banquet facility,” said Fire Chief Bill Tippett.

Tippett asked the township supervisors at Monday evening’s meeting to waive permit fees for the renovations to the hall. The supervisors approved the request.

The fire company also received its State Fire Aid Funds in the amount of $38,790.07 for the year.

Tippett said the company also received five new carbon monoxide meters and three new five gas meters. The meters will make it safer for firefighters to confirm air quality when working on cleanup after a fire.

Polk and five other local departments have applied for a Local Share Account Grant for new fire radios. The new radios will be fire rated and will meet new standards which the county is looking to applying. An LSA grant is money from local gaming revenue that is put back into the communities.

Tippett said that the department had been denied a grant for new canisters for its Scott Air Packs. The canisters currently in use are at the end of their usable life-cycle and need to be replaced. The department will be applying for another grant for either the $43,000 the replace the canisters or the $143,000 to replace the 22 air packs in service.

“If we don’t get approved for the grant,” Tippett said. “We will have to find an alternative, because the canisters can’t be recertified after 15 years.”

Upcoming events

• The fire company holds a breakfast on the third Sunday of every month.

• In October the fire company will also host a Fire Prevention program from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 22. Township residents are invited to attend with their children to learn home fire safety tips and for children to be introduced to the fire service and get to see the emergency vehicles up close.

• On Oct. 28 the fire company will hold its first trunk or treat for Halloween. Check out the company’s Facebook and website for more information. The fire company hopes to include a hayride for those participating in the event.

• The fire company will also hold its annual Holiday 50/50 with the prize being awarded at December’s breakfast.