West Valley Volunteer Hose Company hosts installation and equipment inspection banquet for its members

At the West Valley Volunteer Hose Company’s installation and equipment inspection banquet held Jan. 14, Kent Hoppel, new president of the organization, went over many of the past year’s accomplishments.

Those included a table and chair room that members completed on the northwest side of the hall, enclosing the tractor overhang. Walls, insulation, wiring and ceilings were completed. The hall was also insulated and additional wiring, sound system wiring and a ceiling-mounted video projector were installed.

Telephone and infrastructure for the computer network were reworked and a storeroom was added; the back room progressed with wiring, walls and ceiling.

The company thanked members of the construction crew, Bruce Crandall, Jim Schichtel, Kevin Murray, Brian Westfall, Shawn VanOcker, Don Hansen and Kent Hopple, for their help.

Money for the construction was raised by the WVVHC’s super 100 raffle and Wayne McNeil and his family and the fundraising committee were thanked for making the raffle a “huge success.”

Hoppel said, “A huge thank you goes to Sharon Schichtel for her long hours spent on showing, scheduling and cleaning the hall.”

After the super raffle in September, members installed natural gas lines to the fire hall, where equipment is kept, as well as at memorial hall and the generator building.

The company gave food and a monetary donation to the West Valley Food Pantry this fall.

The hose company hosted a free of charge community dinner to residents of the town of Ashford, where Santa made an appearance. The company also adopted two families for Christmas by providing them with gift cards.

Members installed as executive officers for 2012 include: President Hopple, Vice President Robert Rogers, Secretary Dana Westfall and Treasurer Mychelle McNeil-Wedvik.

Board of directors members are Don Hanson, John Pfeffer, Hopple, Jim Schichtel and Larry Nagel.

The 2012 line officers are as follows: Chief Kevin Murray, First Assistant Chief Steve Wedvik, Second Assistant Chief Dave Smith, Third Assistant Chief Mary Crandall, Fourth Assistant Chief Shawn VanOcker, Fire Captain Duane Westfall and Fire Police Captain Don Hanson.

Line officers by appointment include Nagel, Mike Parish, John Pfeffer and Rogers as fire lieutenants. Rescue lieutenants: Heather Lafferty, Mindi Mellon, Tom Miller and Dana Westfall. Hopple, Todd Miller and Jim Schichtel were appointed fire police lieutenants.

New equipment procured in the past year included “WV2,” a new full-sized, four wheel drive fire and rescue truck. It carries not only fire fighting equipment and about 750 gallons of water, but medical response equipment, as well. When it is not on the road performing its work, it will reside at the Route 240 fire hall. It replaces the old fire truck referred to as “the Terminator,” built in Springville decades ago, that has appeared in local parades for years. The future of the Terminator is currently being determined.

“WV8A” is the other new piece of equipment acquired for the WVVHC this past year. It is a fully-equipped ambulance that will be housed at the Route 219 fire hall.

Many awards were given at the banquet, the last and highest of which was presented to Murray for fireman of the year.