By Stephen Smoot
As the area feels the heat of high summer, Franklin Volunteer Fire Department rolled out its two-night community lawn party. Attendees enjoyed music, fireworks, food, and more ways to have a fun time last Friday and Saturday night.
Like other community events put on by Pendleton County first responders, the fun had a purpose. Brian DiFalco, a lieutenant and spokesman with the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department, said that, along with the letter drive and other efforts, the lawn party represents “one of our large annual fundraisers to help offset expenses throughout the year.”
All local departments face the same problem of expanding costs and limited financial resources with which to cover them. Many of the rising costs are related to equipment and regulations. “In the old days,” DiFalco explained, “in the 70s, 80s, and even in the 90s, we’d for example, change the oil ourselves.” A lot of apparatus repairs were handled in-house.
Now, regulations require that fire departments engage outside contractors to come to the firehouse to conduct regular maintenance. Not just recent rules, but also “fancier and more technology” and increased need for technical knowledge, plus “the liability standpoint” require departments to pay these added costs.
Additionally, those who work on fire apparatus must have certifications in both general auto mechanic work and emergency vehicle maintenance. Mechanics with this level of specialization always cost more. These represent just a few examples of the many “hidden” costs of operating fire and rescue units.
Time and effort must also go into specific and detailed documenting of such work for special audits conducted regularly of all emergency response units.
For these units, following these regulations is not done because they have to — DiFalco shared that “we take pride in taking good care” of apparatus and other vital equipment.
He added that it’s important for those whom the department serves to see that “their fire department is out making food, working for donations. It’s a way we can give back while still making money.”
In decades past, as DiFalco relates, the lawn party was once a weeklong carnival with rides and other attractions usually found at a fair. Over the years, this became untenable. Rising costs of equipment and liability insurance force carnival companies to charge more than a department like Franklin VFD can recoup from holding the event.
A recent and popular addition, however, is a fireworks display that serves as a big draw.
Franklin also benefits from having an event that serves as a draw, not only to townspeople, but also to visitors. “You always see groups of people who come here just for that,” DiFalco stated.
Overall, the lawn party also “brings the community together and gives people a chance to socialize” while helping to ensure that Franklin continues to enjoy the best possible quality of fire protection.
