Members of the community turned out Saturday for the Yancey Fire Department open house as children and parents toured the facility, climbed into fire trucks, and ate hotdogs provided by the station. Kids also checked out the children's fire house to teach safety in fire emergencies, stood in line for face painting, and squealed with delight in the bouncy-bounce.
Fire Chief Robert Gomez and Assistant Chief John Kingsley, along with other volunteer fire fighters, were on hand to talk with friends and neighbors about the need for more volunteers.
WHSV TV-3 covered the event and talked with Chief Gomez along with Emerald Hills Homeowners Association president Kurt Michael about the importance of the community rallying around its fire department. (Video)
Yancey came under criticism recently when insurance rankings rated them with the worst possible score causing local home owners' insurance to rise and, in some instances, almost double in cost. After an outcry from the community and several meetings between the presidents of Fishersville-area neighborhoods, fire officials and the county, Yancey is on its way to fixing the problem cited by the ISO rating which cited too few firemen responding to emergencies.
Fire departments throughout the nation have suffered from a lack of volunteers in recent years including those in Augusta County. Hopefully, events such as Saturday's open house will help alert the public to the need for their help in providing for all to stay safe.
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