A move a long time in the making in Polk County to ensure there are firefighters on call in stations to respond to emergencies is gaining more ground with the latest announcement from the County Government this morning.

County firefighters will now be in the Aragon, Prior Station and Fish Creek fire stations starting today, with two firefighters who will be on hand for fire calls.

They join three other firefighters hired earlier this year for roles to serve and be on-hand during daytime hours to respond to calls.

The new hires grows the department’s total number to six firefighters who will be available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the trio of stations.

Chief Mike Hanuscin said those stations were identified strategically to ensure that residents have the best possible fire protection during the daytime hours.

Volunteers are still encouraged to take part and are the key component to the county’s department, Hanuscin added.

Here’s the full post from the County:

It is with immense pride that we are excited to share a major milestone that has been accomplished in Polk County.

In early 2024, the Polk County Board of Commissioners set a goal to staff three of our fire stations, Monday-Friday, 6AM-6PM, to enhance our service to the community and assist the dedicated men and women who serve our fire stations voluntarily while also maintaining their own 9-5 jobs.

Today, November 4th, 2024, we are proud to announce that Station 4 – Aragon, Station 5 – Prior Station, and Station 6 – Fish Creek, are all staffed with two individuals each ready to respond when the community calls.

We extend a sincere thanks to our County Commissioners for their support, our new staff members for joining in our mission, and to the incredible volunteers who have and continue to serve our community so selflessly. Together, we are stronger and better equipped to protect and serve our county.