With one minor exception, all is well with the Turkey Creek Fire Territory.

Fire Chief Mickey Scott reported Monday night the annual service testing of all the department’s fire hose, couplings, nozzles and fire hose appliances was recently completed. All equipment met the national standards except for one 50-foot section of 1-3/4-inch hose, to be replaced shortly. “That represents less than one percent of our equipment that did not pass the test,” said Scott.

Scott said the department has received the smoke generator, the purchase of which was approved by the board this summer. Funds were garnered through donations and various department fundraisers.

The generator will be used for training to simulate real-life scenarios. Tightened state environmental regulations have severely restricted the opportunities for training through controlled burns of abandoned structures in the township. The last such burn was conducted more than a decade ago.

Scott announced the installation of an overhead garage door at station one in Syracuse, allowing the department to station a ladder truck on the premises. “We have rearranged much of the equipment housed at station one in order to improve the functionality of our department,” Scott said.

All other renovation work on the fire station is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

The department will host an open house at the station from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, during which free smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors will be offered to area residents (limit one each per household).

The department recently initiated another public service. Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment forms will be available to the public at both fire stations. Authorized by the state legislature as of July 1, a POST form is an advanced directive combining the functions of living wills and “do not resuscitate” orders and “fills a serious gap and addresses issues that the other forms do not,” Scott said.

“The form basically follows the patient,” he noted. The forms are printed on bright pink paper for easy recognition and retrieval.

“These forms should be kept with the patient medications or on the refrigerator where emergency responders can find it,” Scott advised.

The department has formed a committee currently compiling information to replace the fire territory’s 1998 grass truck.

The new vehicle will serve an enhanced function. “We are also attempting to address the need for an off-road vehicle to transport injured or ill patients out of areas that can only be accessed by an off-road vehicle,” Scott reported. “Accidents can occur due to farming activities, hunting and fishing activities, boating activities, etc. We also have clandestine lab activities in rural areas in our community.

“There are multiple reasons why certain areas are extremely difficult to access in our area and we believe it is our responsibility to our citizens to have the ability to access these areas in the most timely and efficient manner possible during an emergency situation.”

The department has held its expenses well in check this year. With three-quarters of the fiscal year elapsed, the department has spent slightly more than half its budget allotments.

The board meets next at 6:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at town hall in Syracuse.