New Madrid County fire personnel take part in emergency training

Water flows from two different tankers into a dump tank where it is pumped to another fire truck which would be used to battle a fire. Volunteers from across New Madrid County learned the proper way to set up equipment and had the opportunity to cross train on some of the apparatus.

MARSTON, Mo. — In rural counties, there aren’t always hydrants readily available when a fire occurs. On Saturday, May 18, fire personnel from across New Madrid County trained for such an emergency.

Emergency Management Director Al DeLisle brought together departments from across New Madrid County for Tanker Task Force training. Taking part were firefighters and equipment from Gideon, Lilbourn, Matthews, New Madrid and Portageville.

“When a large fire occurs out in the county, there are no hydrants and there is a need for tankers. Depending on the size of the fire, multiple tankers might be needed,” DeLisle said. “It is important to get everybody in the county on the same page.”

Jill Bock/Standard Democrat Alex Schlitt with the Oran Fire and Rescue explains the gauges on the pumper tank to those taking part in New Madrid County’s Tanker Task Force training on May 18.

DeLisle described a tanker task force as a complex operation. It requires the various agencies to establish a command post and the trucks and personnel working together to get water to the fire.

This was an opportune time for training.

The city of Portageville recently acquired a new tanker, thanks to a $307,200 Rural Development Community Facility Loan, a $50,000 Persistent Poverty Grant and $40,000 Rural Development Direct Community Facility Grant. Personnel with the Lilbourn Fire Department also recently created their own tanker truck and New Madrid’s Fire Department brought their tanker truck to the exercise.

Leading the training at the New Madrid County Airport for the 22 firefighters was Alex Schlitt of Oran Fire and Rescue.

DeLisle said he was pleased with the training, describing it as very informative. He was also pleased how well the personnel from the various departments worked together.

Portageville volunteer Fireman David Dittman agreed.

“The training was great. I learned a lot,” Dittman said. “And the beauty of the training was that we got different departments working together which is what would happen in real life.”

Dittman noted all the fire personnel had the opportunity to learn how to use Portageville’s new tanker.

Anthony Roberts, who volunteers with both the New Madrid and Lilbourn Fire Departments, said he learned the proper way to place the tanks and trucks to effectively use the equipment they would have available for a fire.

“With a lot of homes out of town and some towns not having adequate water supplies, it is important to know we could pull our resources together and obtain a quantity of water to battle a fire,” Roberts said.

DeLisle said he intends to offer more countywide training for emergency personnel.