Monticello Fire Chief Steven “Blue” Faulkner went on what so many times may be considered a “normal fire call” to a trailer fire in the back of the mobile home park in the 500 block of Winchester Road, Sunday around 4:15 p.m., and arrived just in front of the fire trucks.

Upon arrival, someone nearby was heard saying, “I think there’s a man still in there.”

Faulkner went to the front door, opened it, and didn’t get any response; then did the same at the back door: he then knocked on the front window.  The house was filled with smoke too much to just enter and begin looking, without breathing equipment.

When he knocked on the front window, he had woken up the sleeping man, who began calling out.  Faulkner then returned to the back door, near where the man was, and entered the burning home. 

Faulkner told MonticelloLive, “He was close to the door, but fell backwards, when the door opened.  I just went in and brought him out.”

Monticello Police Sargent Carlos Garcia, who also responded to the call to assist with traffic, said, “Faulkner definitely saved that man’s life.”

MPD Patrolman Mark Grant, who also serves as fireman, added, “one thing about “Blue” is that he won’t ask you to do anything that he won’t do, and he proved that this afternoon.”

Faulkner, trying not to draw attention to himself, said, “I didn’t go that far inside.”

Once again, one of Monticello’s First Responder’s has done something that has saved or changed someone’s life. 

Once again, we all need to thank, not only Faulkner, but all of our law enforcement, firefighters, ambulance workers, and others who run towards the emergency situations, that everyone else runs away from.

Captain Eddy Deaton of the Monticello Police Dept. wishes to recognize patrolman Kenny Cox for his actions Sunday afternoon, in attempting to extinguish a fire caused by an overturned b-b-q grill at an apartment on HWY 278 West, while armed only with a standard garden hose.

The Fire Dept. soon arrived and the fire was put out.

Last week it became official, when Randy Pogue, of Greenbrier, visited Monticello on behalf of the Arkansas Forestry Commission, and signed over ownership of the “new to Monticello” 1989 Pierce Arrow ladder truck with a 105 foot ladder.

One of the features of the new unit, is that is has a remotely controlled nozzle, with a maximum output of around 1000 gallons per minute.

Shown here, members of the Monticello Fire Dept., Fire Chief Steve Faulkner,  Randy Pogue, MEDC Director Truman Hamilton, local Forestry Agent Joe Friend, and Mayor Joe Rogers.

The estimated value of the ladder truck is around $400,000, if it were to be purchased.

The grant was a part of the Federal Excess Property Program, which has distributed 412 vehicle throughout the state of Arkansas, and has sent aid to 70 of Arkansas’ 75 counties.

Monticello’s Fire Dept.’s new ladder truck came in today.

The 105 foot reach ladder truck was the result of an application that was made to a grant program, involving the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

The unit had been involved in the Navy’s station at Corpus Christi, TX, where our firefighters went to pick the truck up, and drove it to Monticello, arriving around 4 p.m. this afternoon.

Notice the size of the vehicle compared to the men standing next to it.