Fire station “a priority” for new mayor

TRUMANN, Ark. (KAIT) - It has been 391 days since the Trumann Fire Department lost its building.

Since then residents have grown impatient with the rebuilding process, with many saying there has been no progress at all.

With the elect a new mayor, however, that may change.

Jay Paul Woods has the same feeling as most Trumann residents when it comes to the fire station.

“I was just like any other citizen,” he explained. “I was a little upset about the fact that it has been a year and it still sitting there.”

Kevin Walker is one of those Trumann residents, who feels like it would do everyone so much good if the station was rebuilt.

“It would definitely be a lot better bringing people in if we got a complete fire department,” he said. “It would be more convenient to where it saves less time and saves people money.”

For months, the situation has been at a standstill because the city is waiting for a USDA loan.

Mayor Woods said he is making sure everything is in place for when they do get the money.

“The agricultural design and the engineering part are all set, we can already have that done and ready so as soon as we get approval hopefully, we can jump right in and get our building done,” he said.

Woods added with everything the department does for the people of Trumann, they have to get this done.

“Our guys need a place to sleep and a place to house their trucks and a place to call home,” he said. “That’s their second home and some of them spend more time there than they do at their own homes.”

Once the city is approved for the USDA loan, Woods explained construction will start right away and should be done quickly, baring bad weather.

Copyright 2023 KAIT. All rights reserved.