By Joe Morey
News Editor
The New Post Community Fire Hall is undergoing a few renovations and once completed, the LCO Fire Department trainings and meetings will rotate back and forth between there and the main fire hall on Trepania Road next to the LCO Ojibwe School.
LCO Fire Department Secretary-Treasurer Michell Nickence said renovations include new siding, remodeling the office, new windows, a larger door and new cabinets in the kitchen. Nickence said LCO Development is doing the renovations.
Nickence added their fire truck is going to be gone for three weeks under repair by Big Water Fire Apparatus, and once repaired, will be located at the newly-renovated New Post Fire Hall.
In other news, three personnel are traveling to Wisconsin Dells from Oct. 22-26 for fire inspection training. The three include Nickence, Bonnie Corbin and Krystal Isham.
“Once completed, we’ll be able to visit and inspect buildings and structures to check for fire hazards and to ensure that federal, state, and local fire codes are met,” Nickence said. “We’ll be able to test fire extinguishing equipment and fire alarms, sprinklers and other fire protection equipment.”
Nickence said other duties include checking ventilation coverings, exit signs and make sure no wirings are showing.
The LCO Fire Department was started in 1986 by Michell’s father Mahlon Nickence who got both the original fire halls opened in New Post and Reserve. He started with a little brush truck back then. He also got the jaws of life at LCO in the late 80’s.
“He got the first responder program started throughout the county and he was one of the first ones,” Nickence said.
Mahlon was LCO Fire Chief until his passing in 2001, and during all those years his wife Evelyn was always by his side, also a volunteer firefighter and first responder. Evelyn stuck with the fire department throughout the years until her passing on June 30 of this year.
The current fire chief is Jim Miller. The assistant fire chief is Jason Martin. There are 21 volunteer fire and EMS personnel with the department with Ervin Cross as the captain, two lieutenants Brooke Simon and Christian Clarquist and a safety officer, Jon Edley. Nickence is the secretary-treasurer and along with Erv Cross, they both serve as training officers.
Nickence said they have two new volunteers recently trained, which include Jesse Young and Brandon Gouge. They are entry level A and B firefighters.
Nickence reminds everyone that it is that time of year to check your batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and to keep your chimneys clean if you have indoor stoves.