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McCLELLAND VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Members of the McClelland Volunteer Department are just that "volunteer". It has been that since the community began and that is the same for all of our surrounding communities.
In the first half of the 20th century, the volunteer fire members were summoned by the ringing of the "fire bell" located at the fire station. According to history, the McClelland City Hall built in 1906 housed most of the city's firefighting equipment. A small building called a "soda house" was built on the edge of the same lot that housed the hose cart which had 2 tanks to allow a firefighting chemical soda to be mixed with water.
The fire bell hung in a tower over the soda house until 1946 when the building was partially destroyed by fire and then torn down. What happend to the bell after that was a mystery. What now is known is that in 1978, the fire bell was listed as an estate auction of Darrell Ellis. Darrell had acquired the bell many years earlier and had the bell in his yard as a lawn ornament.
The women's auxiliary of the fire department known as the "Hot Flashes" bought the bell for $400.00 and returned it to the fire station where it was intended to be. Just recently the fire bell has been restored and will be placed on the fire department grounds in memory of some of the past members who are no longer with us.
Just as time changes, so does technology, equipment and safety measures.
In 2006, a major goal of the fire department became a reality. An addition to the fire station was built to house more equipment, add more storage area, a much needed bathroom and a larger meeting/training area. A matching grant of $17,873.00 from the C.I.T.I.E.S. Program (Community Improvements To Increase Economic Stability) the city received allowed this project to take place.
In 2007, the city again applied to the C.I.T.I.E.S. Program for a matching grant of $8,833.00 to purchase & install a new Civil Defense Siren.
The old siren was a manual siren and over 50 years old. It didn't work as often as it did. The siren required one of the firemen to go into the fire station and turn the siren on when inpending weather was headed our way.
The new siren is connected to Pottawattamie County's 911 System and the National Weather Service. The new siren was installed in October of 2007. There is a siren test on first Saturday of each month at 10 am from March to November. Residents do not have any problem hearing the siren and it can also be heard a few miles outside of town which is also beneficial to the country residents.
McClelland's fire district runs from 330th Street to the I-80 Interstate - from Highway 6 to Juniper Road. With increasing calls every year, it is important that the fire department continue with training and update the equipment when possible.
The fire department is able to apply for a grant from the Iowa West Foundation yearly in the matching amount of $10,000.00. These funds can be used for fire gear and any other fire equipment that needs replaced or updated.
The McCleeland Fire Department also holds their annual pancake breakfast the first Sunday of October.
Fire department meetings are held on the second Tuesday at each month @ 7 pm and are held at the fire station. If anyone is interested in joining the fire department, please come at a meeting or contact any of the fire department members.
Current officers for the McClelland Fire Department are:
Fire Chief - Curtis Letner
Assistant Chief - Dan Ryan
Fire Captain - Jason Pierce
EMS Captain - Julie Adkins
Copyright 2013 McClelland Town Site . All rights reserved.
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