NORTH CARROLLTON – The roster of the Carrollton North Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department is currently at 22 volunteers, according to Carroll County Fire Coordinator Art Hicks.
“It is turning out real well,” said Hicks. “Better than expected.”
This past weekend, Carrollton North Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department responded to three grass fires on Saturday evening. At 4:05 p.m., a grass fire on Winona Road was reported, followed by a 5:45 p.m. all on Highway 35 and another at 6:35 p.m. behind Jones Chapel Church on County Road 321.
Hicks said the fire behind Jones Chapel Church required four Carroll County fire stations to respond as well as the Money Volunteer Fire Department in Leflore County.
“Mt. Pisgah was the lead fire department,” Hicks said, also saying that Carrollton North Carrollton along with Valley Hill Fire Department and Hickory Grove Fire Department responded as well.
“We are trying to build a good rapport with our surrounding counties, and it is working out really well,” Hicks said.
Hicks said Andy Vining has been named interim fire chief. Vining is currently the chief at Hickory Grove Fire Department.
Of the 22 volunteers, Hicks said eight of those volunteers are currently certified, and he is working to schedule certification training for the 14 uncertified firefighters. Hicks is a certified instructor and will be giving the 80-hour certification training himself, with the Mississippi Fire Academy at Pearl administering the fire certification test.
A Jaws of Life training was held last Thursday, and Hicks said as the volunteers get trained, weekly Thursday meetings are scheduled at 6 p.m. at the fire house in North Carrollton.
“This all helps with our rating,” Hick said. “It is temporary until our [certification] training starts, then it will be once a month.”
Tuesday, Vining and several firemen introduced themselves to the Carrollton and North Carrollton Mayors and Boards of Aldermen.
According to North Carrollton Ken Strachan, Vining reported on a recent rescue effort in which Carrollton North Carrollton firefighters responded along with the Carroll County Sheriff Department and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. According to Vining, 10 members responded to the one-vehicle accident on Highway 82 at Lexington Street in Carrollton.
Strachan said Vining also reported about the department’s response to the grass fires Saturday.
Strachan, who serves as the CNVFD secretary, told the board that he takes minutes at each meeting of the department and those minutes will be sent to each town hall and are on file at the fire station.
