But fires do happen and when they do, Kester and the rest of the department — occupied solely by volunteers — are ready. Luverne firefighters keep up with physical and informational training by meeting almost every Monday. Those training sessions prove to be valuable.
"Every time there’s a fire, it’s serious," Kester said. "You have to be ready, and the blood pressure kind of starts up."
Because all firefighters are volunteers they carry pagers, and captains and chiefs carry radios for contact at any time. When they’re paged, all report to the station and leave from there with appropriate gear and in the fire vehicles.
In the event of a pumper running out of water in a rural area, there’s an agreement among departments to help respond. For example, a fire in rural Kenneth could get support from Edgerton, Luverne and Magnolia.
Because firefighters sometimes work in Sioux Falls, Kester said some don’t respond as fast as others, but the department is always covered.
Area fire departments have a good reputation for adequate services, and it’s even better this year for Luverne with a new fire pumper.
"The city takes pretty good care of us — in personnel and equipment," Kester said. Kester would ideally like to see a larger fire station to store all of the department’s equipment. Right now, the department uses the fire station, county highway department and outdoor storage.
While facilities may lack a little space, Kester said the manpower is sizeable. "We’re really lucky in Luverne. … The last time three positions opened up, seven applied," Kester said.
Kester said fire department funding is local, 75 percent city and 25 percent township. "Rural communities have more of an expense. ... There are less people out there to tax."
Kester said support from the community allows Luverne firefighters extras that other rural departments may not be able to enjoy. "Our strength is the support from the community," he said. "Two years ago we ran a fund drive [for fire cameras], thinking it would take a year to get one, and within six months we had two."
In observance of National Fire Prevention Week, the Luverne Fire Department is also hosting numerous educational tours for elementary students.
Here's how you can help
prevent and handle house fires
Smoke is responsible for three out of four deaths.
Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and outside of sleeping areas.
Test every detector at least once a month. [See your instruction book for the location of the test button.]
Keep smoke detectors dust free. Replace batteries with new ones at least once a year, or sooner if the detector makes a chirping sound.
If you have a smoke detector directly wired into your electrical system, be sure that the little signal light is blinking periodically. This tells you that the alarm is active.
Inexpensive smoke detectors are available for the hearing impaired.
As with other things, the best motto is, "Be Prepared."
Prepare a floor plan of your home showing at least two ways out of each room.
Sleep with your bedroom door closed. In the event of fire, it helps to hold back heat and smoke. But if a door feels hot, do not open it; escape through another door or window.
Easy-to-use window escape ladders are available through many catalogues and outlet stores.
Agree on a fixed location out-of-doors where family members are to gather for a head count.
Stay together away from the fire. Call 911 from another location. Make certain that no one goes back inside the burning building.
Check corridors and stairways to make sure they are free of obstructions and combustibles.
To help cut down on the need for an emergency exit in the first place, clear all unnecessary items from the attic, basement, garage, and closets.
Remember, you're deliberately bringing fire into your home; respect it.
Use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks from flying.
Don't store newspapers, kindling, or matches near the fireplace or have an exposed rug or wooden floor right in front of the fireplace.
Have your chimney inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season and cleaned to remove combustible creosote build-up if necessary.
Install a chimney spark arrester to prevent roof fires.
When lighting a gas fireplace, strike your match first, then turn on the gas.
Careless cooking is the number one cause of residential fires.
It's wise to have a fire extinguisher near the kitchen. Keep it 10 feet away from the stove on the exit side of the kitchen.
Never pour water on a grease fire; turn off the stove and cover the pan with a lid, or close the oven door.
Keep pot handles on the stove pointing to the back, and always watch young children in the kitchen.
Don't store items on the stove top, as they could catch fire.
Keep kitchen appliances clean and in good condition, and turn them off and disconnect them when not in use.
Don't overload kitchen electrical outlets and don't use appliances with frayed or cracked wires.
Wear tight-fitting clothing when you cook. Here's why: An electrical coil on the stove reaches a temperature of 800 degrees. A gas flame goes over 1,000 degrees. Your dish towel or pot holder can catch fire at 400 degrees. So can your bathrobe, apron, or loose sleeve.
Be sure your stove is not located under a window in which curtains are hanging.
Clean the exhaust hood and duct over the stove regularly. and wipe up spilled grease as soon as the surface of the stove is cool.
Operate your microwave only when there is food in it.