Severe weather preparedness events next week, ambulance calls down

MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commissioners were updated on the calls and activities of the fire department and American Medical Response (AMR) on Monday, Feb. 28.

Fire Chief and Emergency Preparedness Director Randy Hegwald told the commissioners that next week was Severe Weather Preparedness Week and the sirens will be tested. He said that there will also be other activities going on. Hegwald said the activities would be posted on Facebook.

Hegwald reported that there were 14 calls for service making the yearly total 63.

Hegwald recommended that the commissioners approve the hiring of Alyssa Coyer to the Parker fire station. She will be the sixth firefighter out of the 15 positions allowed for that station.

The commissioners approved hiring Coyer pending a pre-employment screening and with a six-month probationary period.

Hegwald passed out a blueprint of water tanks that he is looking into buying. He told the commissioners that the current tanks that are made out of aluminum become corroded on the inside and have lime deposits that are plugging up the pump filters.

These are the tanks that firefighters pull behind utility terrain vehicles for brush fires, said Hegwald.

AMR Operations Manager Galen Anderson said it had been a lower volume month as compared to historical trends for previous Februarys. Anderson reported that there had been eight transports in the last seven days.

Anderson told the commissioners that Linn County emergency medical technician (EMT) Josh Gillen was celebrating his one-year anniversary with AMR and operations supervisor paramedic Louis Aloi was celebrating 10 years.