by Angela Bruner
After years of effort, the Hennessey Board of Education finally bought the last piece of property needed to finish the parking area west of the auditorium. The house at 519 E. Kansas (the NW corner of E. Kansas and N. Walnut) had been empty and stuck in probate for a long time. Nathen Greenfield, the executor of the estate, attended the January 13th board meeting and struck a deal during the executive session. They bought it for $55,000, and the estate had to remove any asbestos and all the sheetrock in the house.
The plan was to tear down the house and complete the parking area. The fire department saw this as a great chance for multi-agency training, including hose lay, vertical ventilation, ladder, fire behavior, and overhaul. Kyle Keeton, the training officer, came up with a great plan that was carried out by the Hennessey Fire Department (HFD), Hennessey Police Department (HPD), and Life EMS. This training was especially useful because it allowed the use of hydrants in town, which isn’t always possible with farm structures. It also gave candidates valuable experience working on a burning structure alongside seasoned pros.
Fire Chief Brandon Scott said, “Everyone worked really hard and I’m proud of all of them, especially after the last couple of days.” photos by AAH Shelley Muzny and Angela Bruner
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