Barton Fire Chief Leslie Turner announced this week that the Barton and Lexa rural fire departments will combine their firefighting efforts into one fire department and will officially become the Barton-Lexa Fire Department.
“We are hopeful that the merger of the two departments will help the residents living in the Barton-Lexa area to obtain a much lower insurance rating,” said Turner.
The communities are currently rated as No.9, and with the merger and ultimately being able to provide better service with the department being able to use three large tanker trucks to haul water, the ratings could drop to an 8 or 7 rating. In the future, this could mean that residents would be able to obtain insurance at cheaper rates.
The three trucks now in service can hold up to 2,000 gallons of water and one holds 2,500 gallons. The department’s newest truck is 3 years old. The firefighters also plan to do some work on one of Lexa’s trucks, making repairs where necessary.
The 30 volunteer firefighters are made up of farmers, business people, retirees and some who currently work as firefighters. The department covers an area south of Oneida to the county line on Highway 1 North west to Big Creek at Poplar Grove and east to the Helena-West Helena city limits. They also cover the area along Highway 242 to the city limits and other rural roads and areas near Barton and Lexa.
The firefighters travel within five miles of each fire station located in
(See Merge on Pg. 3)
Barton and Lexa. If money allows the departments could eventually open satellite stations.
Kent Clemmons serves as assistant fire chief. The board is made up of area residents Dale King, Dennis Ford, Randy Smith, Earnest Larry and Joanne McMickle.
McMickle will take over as secretary-treasurer because the group’s former secretary Rita Ketchum has moved to Fayetteville.
