About town with Decatur Mayor Bob Tharp

April is highlighted this year as "Volunteer Fire Department Month."

In our small-town American culture, we know just about everyone. When we hear a siren, we often wonder who could be in trouble. We may even wonder whether it is a police car, fire truck or ambulance. One may be tempted to follow the emergency vehicle; but be careful, that is illegal.

On Thursday night, some of our Decatur residents lost electricity when the Empire Electric substation, just south of town on Highway 59 lost a huge, expensive transformer to a fire. Billows of smoke and flames were easily seen as the transformer burned. Our volunteer firemen responded quickly and effectively, extinguished the fire, with no one being injured.

Decatur Volunteer Fire Department is made up of men and women who live in our city and the surrounding area. This is truly a group of volunteers that are trained to extinguish grass fires, structural fires, electrical fires and handle a multitude of other emergency situations.

When an emergency is called into Benton County Emergency Services, our team is "toned out." Your volunteer fire department member receives a call on his or her pager that is constantly worn. When firemen are toned, they stop what they are doing, whether it is Easter Sunday dinner or watching a movie with their family. In their personal vehicles, they drive to our fire department building located at the city hall campus. They get directions from Fire Chief Jeremy Luker or Assistant Fire Chief Brent Hopkins.

The Decatur Volunteer Fire Department has three fire engines, two tankers, two brush trucks, one rescue truck and one support truck. These vehicles are of various ages but are in good working order. We currently have 16 volunteer firemen.

If an ambulance is needed, our neighboring town of Gravette dispatches one of its ambulances to our location. Gravette is one of several ambulance providers in Benton County and it is an ALS-certified service provider, which means EMS workers can care for you just as if you were in the emergency room at the hospital. We do not have an ambulance stationed in Decatur. Decatur annually supports Gravette Ambulance for its services, financially.

When you see any of your volunteer fireman, please say, "Thank You!"

The city is presently working on plans to open the swimming pool; play ground equipment at Royce Johnson Memorial Park, a splash park at Veterans Park; new signs at Veterans Park; and a personnel elevator at city hall to make the second floor usable.

City council meeting this month will be April 13 at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Committees that are functional are: Library, Planning and Zoning, Parks, Cemetery, Economic Development and Historical Committees. Anyone interested in serving Decatur is welcome to help make a difference.

Important Dates

to Remember

Trash service will be postponed on Thursday, April 23, but will be scheduled on Saturday, April 25, when a citywide spring cleanup is planned, with curbside pickup. Mark your calendars.

The Decatur Volunteer Fire Department is sponsoring the 6th Annual Wyatt Hopkins Memorial Poker Run, to be held on Saturday, May 9. All proceeds will benefit Arkansas Children's Hospital. First bike out is at 9 a.m. Last bike out is at 10 a.m. All bikes are due back in by 2 p.m. Door prizes and lunch are available. More information will be posted on my Facebook page and the city website.

About Town for the month of May will highlight our city parks.

Ways to stay connected with local news and events are to read the Westside Eagle Observer and check the city's website at www.decaturarkansas.com. You may also email me at [email protected] and follow my Facebook page.

Mayor Bob Tharp wrote this article as a public service to Decatur readers and is responsible for its content.

Editorial on 04/08/2015