Volunteer Fire Department Donates Trucks and Equipment To Fire Company Obliterated By Hurricane Helene
Photo courtesy of the OVFD Auxiliary
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The 1993 Fire Truck and 1994 Ambulance were supposed to be sold by the Oxford Fire Department. Volunteer fire departments often sell old trucks and equipment partly to help them raise funds to keep their firehouses going. A volunteer fire department in a small town like Oxford can cost a minimum of two million a year to maintain their services. So any profit from the truck and the ambulance would help.
However, in the true spirit of helping others that Oxford's Volunteer Fire Department is built on, they are donating the truck and ambulance to the Elk Mills Fire Department in Butler, Tennessee and the ambulance to a hospital in Unicoi County. Both items are in great condition and will are greatly needed by Elk Mills as their fire station and tanker truck were swept away in flood waters caused by Hurricane Helene.
TN VFD Station, Tanker Washes Away in Helene Floodwater (fireapparatusmagazine.com)
In an interview with WBOC Channel 16, Oxford Fire Company Chief Graham Norbury explained:
"It seemed like a great time that we could put them to use. One of our members suggested we donate, and we all thought that was a good idea. So, we put the word out through the Maryland State Fireman's Association, and word travels."
"Our whole purpose is to help people anyway," Norbury said. "When we've got older equipment that's past our service life that we can use, to be able to make it useful again, that's really valuable."
After Oxford contacted the Maryland State Fireman's Association they were put in touch with the company in Butler, Tennessee.
Oxford is joined by the Tilghman Island Volunteer Fire Department which will be sending an engine to Tennessee as well. The truck will be filled with donations of cases of water, dog food and more items.
While Tilghman's truck will be delivered via a trailer company, members of the Oxford Volunteers will be driving their truck and ambulance to Tennessee next week.
Tim Kearns, President of the Oxford Fire Department, discussed the donation as part of the mutual aid system that Oxford and other companies participate in. They help each other out when needed. And, of course, it's all about helping those who need help.
In that regard, the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department is always looking for those who wish to dedicate a part of their lives to the purpose of helping others. Departments like Oxford provide a service that would cost the town and county approximately ten million if they had to have a paid department because of lack of volunteers.
Oxford has an older population and many of the department's members have been in service for more than twenty years. Yet, they never hesitate to answer the call when needed. However, it gets harder every year to get a full complement of volunteers. Kearns says they need volunteers and that people interested should go to marylandvolunteer.org, select "Talbot" and then " Oxford Fire Company" and fill out the form on that page. No prior experience is required, but those wishing to be firefighters will have to take training and pass the test. There are other positions available as well for EMT's, Paramedics, Administrative, or Support or Auxiliary team.
Right now, you can support the Oxford Fire Department by attending two upcoming fundraising events:
Or a guest bartender event at Doc's Sunset Grill next week:
In the town office, Town Clerk Vickie Sharp has also been collecting items to send to hurricane ravaged areas. Items can be dropped off at the office and will be delivered to FOX trucking in Easton.
