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Marty Ponce and Rick Sanchez of the Mammoth Fire Department are ready to install smoke detectors for Mammoth residents. (John Hernandez photo)
By John Hernandez
San Manuel Miner
The Mammoth Volunteer Fire Department has been community oriented since they were first organized in 1950 but will be getting more involved in the community said new Fire Chief Marty Ponce and Fire District Board Chairman Rick Sanchez. “We have a lot of low income and needy people in the area,” said Rick. The fire department will be offering smoke detectors to low income homes at no cost. The department will install the detectors, train the family in their use and show them how to have an emergency evacuation plan in place should they have a fire in the home. They will also do regular battery inspections on the smoke detectors.
The fire department is planning to offer CPR and First Aid classes to the public. “Having people trained in first aid and CPR makes our job easier,” said Rick. They will also be getting more involved with the seniors in the community and have done some cooking for them at the senior center. “We want to have more community awareness about the fire department.” Plans are for events such as “Meet Your Firefighters Day” where the community can come out and socialize with their firefighters and first responders while they enjoy some food. “We want the community to get involved with the fire department,” said Rick.
The fire district is also upgrading the quality of their equipment and training. They are actively pursuing grants and funding from available resources as well as going out to businesses in Tucson and all over the state seeking donations. This will allow them to make improvements in the fire district and serve the people of Mammoth better. “This is our community and if we can’t give something back, we are not going to be a very productive fire department,” said Rick. If you are in need of a smoke detector or would like to get involved with the fire department contact them at 520-487-2050. Leave a message if no one is available to answer the phone.
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