By WAYNE ALLEN
PDT Staff Writer
Otway Mayor Suzanne Nichols says work is underway to fix the damage caused by the recent F0 tornado that ripped through Otway.
The storm ripped the roof off the community center gymm and caused damage to gym floor. The storm also toppled an Otway Fire Department storage building, which housed a fire truck.
Nichols said the village has been working with their insurance company since the tornado to repair the damage to village property.
“We’ve gotten approval for a new roof and gym floor on the community center, that’s been estimated to cost $107,000,” Nichols said “We’ve also gotten approval to fix the roof on the covered bridge. The repair on the covered bridge is estimated to cost around $1,800. There was no structural damage to the bridge.”
She said Belfor Restoration of Columbus has been awarded a contract to replace the community center roof and gym floor, replace the damaged part of the covered bridge roof and clean up debris from the fire department storage building.
“Work is expected to start this week,” Nichols said.
She said insurance adjustors are still assessing the damage to the fire station storage building.
Several fire department from across the region have donated items, from equipment to fire trucks.
Earlier in the month, a volunteer fire department in Uniopolis, Ohio, in Auglaize County donated a 1983 pumper tanker truck. The department recently received a 1984 E-One Engine donated by the Madison, W.Va., Volunteer Fire Department.
A company in northern Kentucky near Cincinnati donated fire turnout gear, including gloves and boots.
Nichols said the donated fire trucks and equipment will not fit in the department’s current facility and are being stored temporarily at members’ homes.
She said the village is planning to build a new fire station where the storage building was. The current fire station would then the used for storage.
Nichols said there is no timeline for this to happen.
According to a news release from Scioto county Emergency Management Agency, “Otway Fire Department Chief Rick Gamble had nothing but praise for all that has been done on his small department’s behalf. Gamble said this week has been unbelievable really, saying Larry Flowers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office had announced at the Ohio Valley Firefighters Association Meeting Monday that low-interest loans would be available to provide whatever additional funds are needed when insurance comes through to rebuild the Fire Department’s building. Gamble said the money would come from a Revolving Loan Fund with very low interest. “
Nichols said she and Gamble met with representatives from U.S. Department of Agriculture last week. “We talked about grant possibilities. They said we would be eligible for a grant up to $50,000,” Nichols said.
On Monday, STAR Inc. held a fundraiser for the department and raised $1,575 that was donated to the department on Tuesday morning.
Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.
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