Serving the Ozarks: Willard Fire Protection District
Fire departments all over the Ozarks have responded to a record number of calls early this spring.
Crews have worked tirelessly to fight wildfires and save homes in their communities.
It's been no different for the Willard Fire Protection District, and this week, we stopped by to say thank you, learn about the station, and bring a free lunch to firefighters.
Fire Chief Kevin Samsel says his crews ran 25 more calls this past March than any other month on record.
Chief Samsel recently took over the role in late January, continuing his 16 years career with the district.
He says average response times in its 72-square mile service area is just six minutes.
Serving the Ozarks: A Bed for Izzy
During the record month of March, Willard firefighters worked through the night to tame wildfires in Douglas County.
The threat of grass and wildfires is decreasing now that fields are turning green and we enter severe weather season but for Lt. Andy Blake, fire safety is still top of mind.
He reminds people any spark can be dangerous.
Willard is also unique in the area that it's one of only a few that has trained paramedics on staff.
It's needed too as two-thirds of all calls they respond to are for medical emergencies.
You can watch the full Serving the Ozarks story above. Bailey Strohl will be back next week to highlight another deserving agency.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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