Turkey Creek Fire Board transferred funds to accommodate equipment repairs through year’s end at its Monday, Dec. 11, meeting. (Photo by Ray Balogh)

Turkey Creek Fire Board Monday, Dec. 11, approved the transfer of $6,000 to the fire department’s equipment repairs fund to close out the fiscal year. The money was transferred from the department’s insurance line item, which has used only 4 percent of its allotment.

The department received an insurance premium refund of $1,667.50 in November, largely due to enhanced safety measures, high marks on employee physicals and personnel training

Fire Chief Mickey Scott said the 2018 insurance premium will be paid in December and calculated the insurance line item will have sufficient funds after the $6,000 transfer.

Scott reported the department responded to 23 fire calls and 80 EMS calls in November. The territory suffered $22,775 in property loss from one structure fire and one vehicle fire.

“There was an estimated $40,000 saved from these fires,” said Scott.

Scott also reported:

• Department personnel completed 299.5 hours of fire and EMS training in November. Topics included tanker positioning and operational training, review for an upcoming tabletop exercise, assessment and care for shock, hypothermia and cold water immersion training, HazMat refresher training and preplanning of several businesses in the territory.

• The monthly outdoor warning siren test was conducted Friday, Dec. 1. “We conducted the test on battery backup,” said Scott. “All sirens functioned correctly.” The sirens “will operate for 20 minutes solid on the battery,” he said.

• The 2018 salary resolution for department employees was adopted by Township Trustee Barb Griffith and the township advisory board at its Nov. 13 meeting.

• To date the department has utilized 65 percent of its allotted budget. Anticipated expenses to round out the year are holiday pay and disbursement for volunteer fire personnel.

Township attorney Andrew Grossnickle reported on a recent meeting with the architect and the department’s building committee for improvements to the township’s two fire stations. “We are looking at 2018 to prepare everything for bids,” he said.

Scott ended his report with a thank you and holiday solicitations.

“We would like to wish all board members and their families a safe and happy Christmas and New Year,” he said. “Again, we would like to say thank you to the members of the fire board, township board and Syracuse Town Council for their cooperation between each other and our department in 2017. We look forward to working with everyone in 2018.”

The board will next meet at 6:45 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, at Syracuse Town Hall.