Marble Falls Fire Rescue

By Richard Zowie

The Highlander

Anyone driving on the road behind the Marble Falls High School Auditorium on March 14 might have mistaken Dan Kramer, of the Marble Falls Area Fire Department, for an eager shopper trying to get ahead for the 2018 Christmas Tree season.

Working with several men with power tools and other devices used for trimming brush and shrubbery, Kramer carried a freshly-cut tall green shrub towards the road.

But instead of strapping it to the top of a vehicle or into a truck bed and taking it home to decorate, Kramer took the shrub to a wood chipper.

Soon, machine reduced the dark green shrub into mulch.

Kramer and the rest of those with him, including members of the Marble Falls Fire and Rescue, were creating a “defensible space” at the high school that will help protect the school from any future wild fires.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

“Get your PINK on, Marble Falls.”

That is the message from Marble Falls Fire Rescue for a breast cancer awareness event Thursday, Oct. 26.

“Our pink fire truck program escort members of the community affected by breast cancer to the big event at Old Oak Square on Main Street,” Marble Falls Fire Chief Russel Sander said. “We hope everyone will wear ping and join us from 4-6 p.m. for pink cupcakes and cookies and pink lemonade.”

A commemorative photo of what the department wants to be a sea of pink will be taken from atop a ladder truck.

“We are calling on all of Marble Falls to join us,” said Sander.

Local firemen, including members of Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department have been sporting pink logos on special uniform shirts to promote the event.

Sander told the Marble Falls City Council he expected to see them in the crowd.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

National Night Out (NNO) will be celebrated in Marble Falls and Granite Shoals on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

The annual community-building campaign promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

Locally that national goal is taken up a notch with other first responders taking part in the night of family fun.

The Marble Falls Police Department (MFPD) will conduct their event from 5-7 p.m. on the 200 block of Main Street where the police station is located.

Vendors and sidewalk sales will be found on the street, but also free food, music, bounce houses for kids and more. It is a chance families and neighbors to visit with first responders in a casual setting.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Traffic was diverted from US 281,  north and south of Ninth Street, beginning around 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, after a Future Telcomm crew breached a six-inch gas line in front of Burger King construction.

The break was severe enough that gas could be seen bubbling up through a puddle on the street corner and the sent of the gas odorant filled the air for a block around the site.
Marble Falls Fire Marshal Tommy Crane and Fire Chief Russell Sander were on the scene as workmen and emergency personnel cordoned off the site and cleared the area for workers from ATMOS Energy to begin repairs. Officers from the Marble Falls Police Department put up barricades and began directing traffic that included large over-size equipment loads into city street detours.
Emergency notifications began to ring through on city phone lines and cell phone and email notices went out that repairs could take up to two hours.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

H-E-B partners (employees) in Marble Falls served up a homemade lunch for the firefighters and emergency medical personnel at the Marble Falls fire station on Friday, Sept. 8, as part of H-E-B’s company-wide Helping Heroes program.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Construction on the new Marble Falls Public Safety Center (PSC) is set to begin next month, following action by the city council Tuesday, Oct. 18, to approve a construction contract.

A contract was approved with STR Constructors, LTD, for $3,482,635 for the new center to house the Marble Falls Police Department and Municipal Court on Avenue N.

“We had six builders submit sealed competitive bids, one of the qualified being the low bidder,” said City Manager Mike Hodge. “The official submitted total $3,725,000 and we were able to negotiate that down.”

Jettisoned from the initial plans prepared by architects for the project, R. Gill Architects of Horseshoe Bay, were such items as copper pipe in favor of synthetic plumbing materials and alternate bids for a sally port (controlled entrance) and some covered parking.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Marble Falls Fire Rescue (MFFR) has invited the public to take part in its strategic planning process in two ways—through a survey and by joining in a focus group on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

The focus group will beet at 7 p.m. at the fire department training room, 700 Avenue N.

“It is important for the department to understand the needs and expectations that citizens have about the Fire Department as we develop our plans for the future,” said Fire Chief Russell Sander. “Not only will we discuss the present services of Marble Fall Fire Rescue, but also priorities for the future.”

The department also is seeking input from citizens through a short survey. It can be found on the fire department page of the on the City of Marble Falls website, www.marblefallstx.gov/169/fire-rescue.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Marble Falls Fire Marshal Johnny Caraway will officially retire as of Monday, Sept. 19, and the city will begin immediately looking for his replacement.

“Mr. Caraway was in the office on Friday, Sept. 9,” said City Manager Mike Hodge. “He said he had been considering retirement for a while and had decided to submit his resignation.”

Hodge said that Caraway, who lives in Burnet, had served both as fire chief and, most recently, as interim chief during the search for Fire Chief Russell Sander.

Sander will be part of the review panel for applicants.

“A fire marshal conducts inspections, based on the fire code adopted by the city council,” said Sander. “He also is charged with investigating the causes of fires. We have people in the department that can perform some of those duties.”

The Back to School Blast is done. New Teachers have been welcomed by the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce. And, this week Marble Falls ISD students returned to the classrooms.

Many children will be walking or riding their bicycles to and from school – many of them during the busiest time of the day when motorists are traveling to work or home.

Marble Falls Fire Rescue is sharing the following safety tips for the community:
Dropping off students
Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids. More children are hit by cars near schools than at any other location. The following apply to all school zones: