Handy, Pine-Bardley VFDs Link Arms With Eastwood

Eastwood and Pine-Bardley departments were well represented at the Handy Fire Department meeting on Nov. 11.

Speaker Joshua Couture from the Missouri Division of Fire Safety explained how responsibility for the Handy community can be transferred from Pine-Bardley to Eastwood through a Mutual Aid Agreement.

The two departments were in full agreement with the plan and it promises to be a win-win-win for all three entities.

Handy has a facility and no truck. Eastwood needs the facility to park one of their trucks and is only eight miles away, while Pine-Bardley is 15 miles away, resulting in a much longer response time.

Given they have a four-county area to serve, Pine-Bardley is happy to have Eastwood pick up the Handy community, although they pledge to respond as necessary.

The agreement must be formalized with letters to their respective county dispatchers and with the State.

Mr. Couture will provide the necessary forms for this process. The Handy Fire Department extends its appreciation to him for coming the long distance to accommodate the people of Handy.

Handy also greatly appreciates the enthusiastic cooperation between Pine-Bardley and Eastwood Fire Departments.

Further development is forthcoming in the way of well pump installation. Handy has an offer from Woolsey & Sons out of Summersville to procure a donated pump and install it at the Handy Fire Station.

This generosity is especially appreciated since the pie supper that was intended to raise funds for the well pump had to be cancelled due to an outbreak of Covid in the neighborhood.

The department will need to reschedule a pie supper or other fundraiser at some point for ongoing expenses, but a donation from the Eastwood folks is helping cover propane expense for now.