Peggs VFD offers more than just fire protection

Tahlequah Daily Press (OK)

Jun. 22—Residents of northern Cherokee County can rely on a local fire department for more than just fire protection.

The Peggs Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1978, and primary funding comes from county tax allocations, annual membership dues, and donations.

PVFD Board of Directors includes Chief Dale Fine, Assistant Chief Jay Milliron, Treasurer Eugene Hill, Assistant Treasurer John Thilges, and Secretary Patty Cole. The department boasts 18 firefighters and emergency medical responders. PVFD covers the Peggs community and surrounding areas, and offers rescue and emergency medical response on top of fighting fires.

Those interested in joining PVFD can contact Chief Fine directly, call the fire station, or send a direct message to the department via Facebook: Peggs Fire-Rescue.

The department averages 150 calls per year, and Fine said the most common calls they respond to are EMS assists and grass fires.

"We typically have a very busy grass fire season during the spring and it was pretty average this year," said Fine. "We have a few big ones during the spring where there are lost structures, and we had a lot of [grass fires] but none that were that big, and we managed pretty well."

Three buildings house the department. All three have truck bays, and one building features an office area, and a meeting and training room. The PVFD is equipped with three pumper trucks, two tankers, four brush trucks and a squad vehicle.

Training is stressed with all members of the PVFD. Basic instruction includes Volunteer Firefighting Practices, Firefighting I, Auto Extrication and CPR-First Aid certification.

The Peggs VFD recently underwent an ISO rating review, receiving a rating of 5/5y. Fine said the department went from a 6/6y in 2016 to an improved rating this year.

"We improved our ISO rating this year and we went through the review and the inspection," said Fine.

That's important, as the lower the rating, the lower insurance for homeowners.

The PVFD's annual Fourth of July celebration is slated for July 3 this year, and Fine said they've restricted the event due to COVID-19.

"In the past, we've held some other activities such as the bounce houses, games, and music. But still coming out of the [pandemic], we decided we're just going to do the fireworks only," he said.

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