Moapa Valley’s Outstanding People: The Underlying Cost Of Emergency Services In M.V.

By JIM VALLET

Moapa Valley Progress

What did you do last Thanksgiving? Most of us were lucky enough to spend that day with our families enjoying family traditions.

But at Overton Fire Station Chief Steven Neel’s house, his family celebrated Thanksgiving without him. Neel was out on four separate emergency calls and he missed the entire day.

Were you present at your son’s confirmation? Volunteer firefighter Matt Nelson didn’t make that. That’s because he was fighting the big Warm Springs fire that entire day.

Do you regularly attend your kids’ sporting events? Volunteer firefighters Elwin and Shirlyn Brown have missed many games and recitals because they were responding to EMS and fire calls.

So, why do 52 men and women in Moapa Valley volunteer to run on emergency calls for the community? What makes them step up and answer the call? And what would our community do without them?

The Moapa Valley Fire Protection District is responsible to run emergency services across approximately 1,200 square miles: from I-15 mile marker 75 to mile marker 105, and from Coyote Springs to Echo Bay.

The district has the three busiest stations, in terms of the number of calls, of all of rural Clark County stations. District volunteers answer approximately 1,300 calls annually, and of those, about 1,000 calls are for EMS assistance.

The average response time varies because of the distances that must sometimes be traveled. But the average time of volunteers reporting to the stations for a call is a remarkable three to five minutes.

The department answers an eclectic number of emergency calls. These include anything from search and rescue to brush and tree fires, extraction calls, motor vehicle accidents, HAZMAT calls, diesel spills, animal rescue, and more.

Local volunteers even find time for providing non-emergency services like “Water Day” at local schools, having EMS present at MVHS football games, fire prevention demonstrations, planning and executing the 4th of July fireworks show, and participating in the annual Veterans Day Parade.
“If you can think of it, we respond to it,” said Overton Assistant Fire Chief Chance Munford.

Training for volunteers is extensive, even for non-EMS certified volunteers. There is a great deal to be done before any new volunteer goes out on a call. ach volunteer must complete three required two-hour trainings every month, and 20 hours annually after the initial basic fire certification. Each volunteer is required to spend at least 24 hours per month at the fire station.

To receive EMS certification, one needs to complete 12 credits and 40 hours of continuing education every two years in addition to firefighter training.

The sacrifices of being a volunteer are truly daunting. “Being a volunteer firefighter takes a lot of time away from your family,” said Munford. “Since the Moapa Fire District is volunteer, all members earn money in other ways, most by having a full-time job.”

“Several members have to get a second job and live from paycheck to paycheck,” reports Chief Neel. “My people have to spend a lot of time and effort just to be volunteers.”
“People don’t realize the amount of time it takes you away from your family,” said Shirlyn Brown. “We missed lots of family dinners, parties, family time, kids’ ball games, activities, work, and lots of sleep. The amount of time away from your family was the hardest part because we missed a lot of time with our kids and you can’t get that back.”

Cynthia Nelson, wife of Matt Nelson and a former volunteer firefighter herself, said that she and Matt take separate cars pretty much everywhere they go. “If Matt gets called out and has to leave, I have a way to get home,” she said.

“Fires have delayed more than one of our family vacations,” she added. “One morning, we were driving out of town headed to Colorado and we saw smoke. We just turned around and went home, and left later that night on our travels.”

Volunteers make a lot of sacrifices for their community, said professional paramedic Alecia Neel, who is the spouse of Chief Neel. “They spend countless hours away,” she said. “The time away from family is a lot, and it is hard because I’m the one home alone while he is out.”

When asked if her husband brings his volunteering home with him, Mrs. Neel quickly responded, “Yes! Sometimes, he lays in bed at night and can’t sleep because of his role as fire chief.”

Both Mrs. Neel and Mrs. Nelson agree that they wouldn’t want their husbands to stop their volunteer activities. “It sometimes takes significant self-talk to remind myself that is important that someone is willing to volunteer,” said Nelson. “I am married to a wonderful person who is willing to make those sacrifices.”