By Don Murtha
If success can be measured in hot dogs, then the Mount Angel Fire District can perhaps count its first open house a success with 180 hot dogs given to its guests.
“We didn’t know what to expect,” said Karl Bischoff, recently promoted to captain of the fire district. “Just look around the fire hall at all of these people. I guess we’ve done alright for the first time out.”
Among the many displays were the fire engines currently in service with the district and the district’s first fire engine, named “Ruby” purchased in 1947 and still in service in 1970, Bischoff said adding, “Ruby has had her rough times and is in need of an overhaul.”
“That kind of a job costs a lot of money and we are looking for donations to pay for restoring and repainting Ruby,” Bischoff said.
Running a fire district is expensive. A turnout suit alone costs $6,555. The district has 39 volunteers and with the chief that means 40 turnout suits.
“We have some turn over and that means recruiting and training new volunteers, from time to time,” Bischoff said. “But we have a pretty steady force that we can depend on for any call.”
The open house featured a helicopter from Reach Air Medical Service of Corvallis. The helicopter drew a mass of children and their parents eager to sit inside the machine. Pilot Charlie Jones said the helicopter flies to the rescue of injuries incurred in logging accidents and auto wrecks, among other incidences. There were a variety of displays and hand-outs for children, safety demonstrations and fire prevention information.
Oh, yes, and more than 180 people lined up for hot dogs, chips, bottled water and chocolate milk, not counting those who were too late to have a meal.
