Published: September 03, 2008 12:31 pm         

Two local firefighters head south to help in Gustav aftermath

Two area firefighters are headed to Louisiana to relieve firefighters worn out by dealing with Hurricane Gustav this week.

Chief Kenny Schwerman of Shumway Fire Protection District and Assistant Chief Andy Voelker of Altamont Fire Protection District were on their way to Baton Rouge, La., this morning, along with other firefighters from the state.

Schwerman said he and Voelker would be providing staffing assistance to Baton Rouge-area fire stations.

“We’re headed to LSU (Louisiana State University) first,” Schwerman said. “From there, we’ll be deployed around the city.”

Schwerman said he and Voelker would be gone about a week, adding the purpose of the trip is to help people dealing with a major storm.

“We want to help people who have been through a tough situation,” he said. “I was fortunate in that I could leave my job for an extended period of time.”

Schwerman also is an emergency room nurse at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon.

Voelker said he hoped to pick up some tips from observing Baton Rouge-area firefighters.

“We’re always trying to learn new and better ways of doing stuff,” he said.

Schwerman and Voelker left with the first wave of firefighters at about 7 this morning. A second wave was scheduled to leave the Petro truck stop in Effingham mid-morning today. Petro was used as a staging point for firefighters coming from all directions to help out in Louisiana.

Area firefighters went to the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2005, but Schwerman said only about half that group is making this trip.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.