Lyon County Fire District #5-Hartford/Neosho Rapids

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years ago, the FDNY was confronted with one of the most challenging missions in the history of the fire service. Tragically, 343 firefighters gave their lives in the line of duty. Their sacrifice will forever be remembered.

The day was defined by extraordinary acts of heroism from firefighters, paramedics, emts, police officers, and countless other emergency responders who ran toward danger without hesitation. The passengers of Flight 93 demonstrated courage that changed the course of the day. And across New York and beyond, civilians stepped forward to aid the wounded, comfort the grieving, and support one another in the face of unimaginable loss.

Never forget.

09/10/2026

Strong communities are built through strong partnerships. Frontier Farm Credit has been an outstanding supporter of local emergency services. In addition to this grant for Emporia Fire, they have helped LCFD #5 enhance firefighter safety by providing funding for PPE, remote monitors, and an extractor for cleaning protective gear over the past five years. Their commitment continued last year with a grant to LCFD #8 Americus, helping provide new wildland firefighting PPE for its members. We sincerely appreciate their ongoing investment in the safety, readiness, and effectiveness of first responders across our region.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2026

$5,000 Grant Helps Emporia Fire Department Prepare for Farm Machinery Rescues
When someone becomes trapped in farm machinery, a fast, safe rescue depends on firefighters having the right training. A $5,000 Working Here Fund grant from Frontier Farm Credit will help the Emporia Fire Department build those lifesaving skills.

The grant will purchase a Black Box Machinery Rescue Simulator and specialized attachments, allowing firefighters to practice freeing someone from machinery in a safe, controlled setting. Training will focus on securing equipment, controlling hazards and protecting the injured person throughout a rescue.

“Agricultural and machinery entrapments don’t happen every day, but when they do, they can be extremely challenging and time-sensitive incidents,” Fire Marshal Stephen Beemer said. “This equipment gives us the opportunity to practice those skills before we’re faced with that situation during an emergency.”

With agriculture central to Lyon County, the equipment will provide local training for emergencies involving machinery that farmers and agricultural workers use regularly. The Emporia Fire Department also plans to offer training opportunities to neighboring fire departments.

“We are truly grateful to Frontier Farm Credit for investing in training that directly reflects the risks in our area,” Beemer said.

Hands-on training will begin after the equipment arrives and is set up.

09/07/2026

Here at LCFD #5, we’ve seen plenty of reminders about protecting people during this heat wave, but far fewer about protecting animals. The information is out there, but we want to share an observation from our own checks.

With a temperature gun in hand, we measured several surfaces: concrete in full sun, dark decking in full sun, and concrete in the shade. We took several measurements on each to ensure we had a representative sample. The differences were significant. We know how uncomfortable hot surfaces are for us without shoes, but our four‑legged companions feel that heat too.

As temperatures climb, please keep your pets’ paws in mind.

09/05/2026

Coffey County has issued a burn ban. This does include the Coffey County portion of our fire district.

09/05/2026

On this day in 2023, your LCFD #5 firefighters answered a mutual aid request for a large grass fire near Madison. We are proud to stand alongside our neighboring departments as part of a robust auto and mutual aid system. When the call comes, we respond, because neighbors helping neighbors is what the fire service is all about. 🚒🔥🤝

09/03/2026

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows that large portions of LCFD #5 and LCFD #1 are currently classified as Abnormally Dry. While conditions have not yet reached moderate drought status, without a break in the weather we will likely reach it soon.

As discussed yesterday, now is the time to be especially mindful of activities that can create sparks or ignition sources. Fire season traditionally ramps up after the first hard freeze, but current conditions suggest an elevated fire risk much earlier than usual this year. A little extra awareness and caution can go a long way in helping prevent wildfires.

09/03/2026

The folks at Flint Hills NWR have been great partners with us. Please go out and support them on their 60th Anniversary.

Flint Hills is 60 years old this year and we want you to help us celebrate on September 26th which is also National Public Lands Day.

09/02/2026

You don’t need to be a climatologist to recognize how hot and dry it has been lately, and the pattern looks to hold through next week. We’ve already seen a slight uptick in wildfire activity around the area, and if conditions continue to deteriorate, that number will rise. Several counties to our south have already implemented burn bans. We are not that dry...yet.

NOAA is forecasting building drought, which means the environment will continue to dry out. Now is the time to pay closer attention to burn barrels, dragging chains, equipment sparks, and anything else that can start a fire in these conditions.

Hopefully you won’t need us, but if you do, we’ll be ready, just as we always are.

08/31/2026

Take a look at the forecast, we’re staring down a stretch of hot, dry days with no rain in sight and temperatures pushing into the 90s. The “dry heat” we’re experiencing is already elevating fire danger. Even though the landscape is still green, thatch from mowing is burning readily right now, and conditions will continue to worsen if this pattern holds.

There is a tremendous amount of fuel sitting in the fields this year. Timely rains will delay the fire danger until after a hard freeze, but if that doesn’t happen, we’ll be ready to respond just as we always are.

Stay aware, stay cautious, and keep cool and hydrated for the next 10 days and beyond.

08/31/2026

When we talk about "fire inflation" this is what we mean. It's one example, but there are scores of others. PPE, SCBAs, etc have all seen huge increases.

Sticker shock is real. We don’t have to tell you that- prices are up everywhere.
You see it at the grocery store, when you pay for repairs or when it’s time to replace a vehicle.
West Metro is seeing it, too.
In 2018, West Metro paid $633,267 for a fire engine like this one. Today, a comparable new engine costs $1,384,099.
That’s nearly a 119% increase in nine years.
When we buy an engine, we get a lot of use out of it. At West Metro, an engine typically spends 20 years in front-line service, assigned to a station and responding to calls every day, followed by another five years as a reserve.
That’s 25 years responding to fires, medical emergencies, crashes, rescues and other calls for help.
But eventually, every engine reaches the end of its service life. And when you consider rising prices across an entire fleet- not just fire engines, but ambulances and other emergency vehicles- the costs add up quickly.
That’s why we want our community to understand what it costs to provide emergency services, how long we use the equipment we purchase and how much those costs have changed.