Chief's Page - Gerton Fire & Rescue

October 25, 2022
On September 24, Gerton Fire and Rescue held what has become our
annual fundraiser and open house. We had a great turn out as we have had in
previous years. This year we were raising funds to purchase new Thermal Imaging
Cameras. These cameras allow us the ability to see inside smoke filled or low
visibility situations. They also could be used in search and rescue situations. Our
hope was to be able to purchase at least two of these units to place on our first
out engines. We had a private supporter who funded the food so our expenses to
put this on was minimal. We served over 125 plates. Once the event was over, we
found we had raised over $3000. The next week we were invited to another event
where another $1000 was raised. We later had another supporter who donated
$2000 to meet our goal. Our thanks to go out to everyone who donated and has
supported us throughout the last year.
As an update from last year’s event, we were able to purchase the Lucas
automatic compression device with the assistance of a grant we were fortunate
to receive. We were able to place it on service in late January. This summer we
had to use the device and it assisted us tremendously.
Over the last year we have added three new members to our roster. We
are excited to welcome Riley Lyda, Tim (TR) Maloney and Ryan Lubbers. They are
working diligently to get some of their certifications under their belt. So far this
year, we have responded to over 70 calls for service. The department is
maintaining the volunteers and occasionally have new ones join. We are so proud
of all the volunteers. They train every week and respond to calls. We have two of
our volunteers currently in technical rescue school. We are also offering the
firefighter 1 & 2 classes at our station. Their dedication to training helps to
prepare them for whatever situation we may encounter.
We have been planning and continue to train for incidents on the trails in
our fire district. Last year 40% of our calls were trail related. This year we have
already responded to multiple incidents on the trails. These calls do tax our
department, but with the use of our mutual aid partners we handle each one.
We also want to remind you that as we change the time in November, to
please change out your smoke detector batteries. If your smoke detectors are
older than 10 years old, you should think about replacing them. We do have a
limited number of smoke detectors and batteries at the station and can assist you

installing them if needed. We also would like to pre-plan your home if you would
be willing to allow us. Remember smoke detectors save lives!
The Thermal Imaging Cameras arrived this week. After training and charger
installation in the trucks they will be placed in service. This addition to our arsenal
of tools will assist us to perform search and rescues not only in structures, but in
nighttime searches. We want to thank everyone who donated to this cause and
remind you to call 911 anytime you have an emergency. Please do not call the
station since it could potentially slow response if no one is there. Also, anytime
you call on a cell phone, make sure you let them know you are in Gerton in
Henderson County. The cell towers are in Buncombe County and all cell 911 calls
go to Buncombe County 911 center.
As always, please stay safe and call us when you have an emergency. We
are ready and willing to respond to help. Thank you for all of your support!