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| By Ephrata Pioneer Fire Company | |
| July 6, 2026 | |
| ..A...WHIRLWIND...36 HOURS!!! Our members, along with much of the Ephrata community, are now in full cleanup mode after this weekend's two powerful storms. Last night's storm was truly unbelievable. No one anticipated the magnitude of what we experienced. Thousands of residents lost power, and some are still without electricity today. We want to sincerely thank our community for the thoughts, prayers, kind words, and support you've shown over the past 36 hours as we navigated the severe weather and an overwhelming call volume. We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to the Ephrata Public Works Department for their tireless efforts throughout these storms. From clearing countless downed trees and limbs to assisting with storm-related hazards and supporting power restoration efforts, these men and women are often the unsung heroes during weather events like this. Many have been working around the clock to help restore power and make our community safe again. We are incredibly thankful for their dedication and partnership. On Sunday, we opened our banquet hall to anyone in need of a place to rest, cool down, and recharge. Approximately 10 residents—including some unhoused individuals—took advantage of the space, and we're grateful we could be a blessing to our community. To everyone who has dropped off water or plans to do so, thank you! Your generosity means more than you know. Because of the response from those seeking respite, we are now developing a plan and gathering supplies so we're better prepared if we're called upon to provide this service again in the future. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision when we recognized a need in our community, and just as we train for emergency incidents, we want to be prepared for future community needs as well. As you'll see in the photo, between staffing the race and fireworks event (despite the fireworks being canceled) and responding to the influx of emergency calls, our members logged 433.5 hours of service from Saturday morning through Sunday at midnight. During that same period, we responded to 46 incidents. We also want to recognize our mutual aid partners. Without their assistance, it would have been impossible to answer every call for service. Now, many of our members are cleaning up their own properties or returning to work after an exhausting weekend. We are truly blessed to have such a dedicated group of volunteers who continually put their community first. If you've ever considered becoming part of something bigger than yourself, we'd love to hear from you. Pioneer is always looking to welcome new members to our team. Stay safe, Ephrata, and thank you for standing with us. #PioneerProud #communitysupport #CommunityMatters #VolunteerFireCompany #servingourcommunity Lincoln Fire Company Station 16 |
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