By: TONY MARKS
Editor
NANCY DUPLECHAIN
Associate Editor
New Ville Platte and Ward 1 Fire Protection District 2 Fire Chief Chris Soileau was the guest speaker at Tuesday’s Rotary meeting. Soileau spoke about the operations of the fire departments. “We strive to excel at community risk reduction. We’re in the business of providing for a safer community.” He said they have ramped up their presence in schools and businesses in the last 10 to 15 years. They are available on a personal level. If anyone would like the fire department to check out something in their home, they can call the station at 337-363-3478, and they will send someone to go to your home and answer your questions.
Soileau said the department serves about 15,000 people. Ville Platte is only about 7,400. Considering outlying stations in the fire district, there are about seven stations altogether. Evangeline Parish Ward 1 Fire Protection District 2 serves the communities up the bridge on Chicot Park Road, around Hickory Hills, goes south to the parish line between Chataignier and Eunice, southeast to the parish line on Highway 167, and up to the parish line on the Whiteville Highway. They also share a boundary with Vidrine, which is Mamou Fire District. Total, the department covers about a third of Evangeline Parish.
Soileau spoke highly of his career and volunteer firefighters, who together make a combination department. He said some of the firefighters consist of electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, AC technicians, and carpenters. “We’re blessed to have a diverse staff.” The department’s personnel has 14 full-time career personnel, 12 of whom work 24/48 hour shifts, sleeping at the fire station. Additionally, there are six part-time employees and 15 active volunteers covering the greater Ville Platte area. The three district stations have approximately an additional 30 volunteers, who, along with the Ville Platte area personnel, serve nearly a third of the parish which includes the Faubourg, Belaire Cove, and Chataignier stations.
Soileau also spoke about the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana which rates a municipality’s fire protection service. This rating affects how much property insurance citizens pay. When firefighters perform testing on hydrants, pumps, and ladders, those tests factor into the rating. “Fire suppression is probably five percent of what we do. It’s a very small percentage, and that’s a good thing. Of course we do rescues, etc. There’s a lot that goes into community risk reduction and general fire safety services.”
The fire district is currently rated a five out of 10, which Soileau says is “average” and “pretty good” considering they have a combination department with mostly volunteers compared to other municipalities who have fewer volunteers. Volunteers have historically only counted for one-third of a firefighter in the fire service. “It’s very difficult to provide that level of fire protection when you have a volunteer fire service. We’re fortunate we have both; we have a mixture.” He said it is known in the fire service that a combination department is the most difficult type of department to manage because of the mix of personnel. “These guys and girls are doing it for nothing. How do you reward someone, with limited funding, who’s given so much of their time to their community, blindly, because nobody sees what they do? They give a lot.”
Despite the upheaval of the world in 2020, Soileau said there were good things that happened in the department this year, aside from a new fire chief. This year the fire department celebrated its 100th anniversary. He asked people to follow the department’s Facebook page where they have pictures and stories throughout the years. The more people who follow, the better their fire rating is. Also, the department was able to reacquire their very first fire truck, thanks to many donations. Another big event that happened this year was the recent hire of Courtney Edwards Broussard, who is the first, full-time female firefighter in the department.
The week prior, on December 1, the Rotary Club heard from Greg Hilburn who covers the Louisiana Legislature for the USA Network which includes papers such as the Daily World, The Advertiser, and The Town Talk.
Hilburn said one main issue coming up during next year’s session is redistricting. He explained there is some discussion among legislators to make the district more north and south.
“The 4th District is where Shreveport is the population hub, and it comes down and takes in you guys,” he said. “And, then, there’s the 5th where Monroe and Alexandria are the population hubs. It goes all the way to take in part of Opelousas and the Florida Parishes taking in Bogalousa.”
He continued, “There is some talk to make the 4th and 5th one district across the top. I don’t know if that has legs or not, but it’s something to look toward.”
Hilburn is also a regional pool reporter for USA Today and shared his experiences covering President Donald Trump.
“Each time,” Hilburn said, “I’ll be in the back or on the side, and he’ll point and say ‘That’s fake news.’ All the people will turn around and boo, and I’ll smile and waive at them.”
Hilburn went on to say the president does not know his name but is starting to recognize him.
Before the last rally Hilburn was covering, he was bound and determined to tell the president his name when he got off Air Force One and onto the tarmac.
“I’m positioned good and beat the rest of the people up there,” said Hilburn, “and he comes down the top step. I’m about to say something, but he pivots in another direction. That night he pointed at me and said ‘Fake news.’ Nobody still knows my name.”
Earlier in his talk, Hilburn stated he hopes the community knows how lucky it is to have a newspaper. “I’ve seen The Gazette, and I know it’s a touchstone for this community,” he said. “Local journalism is important, and it matters. It’s a reflection of you. The Gazette and KVPI are big factors here. I want you to know how lucky you are for having both of those outlets.”