Boynton Forum

Cascades resident Donald Kneller’s wife, Barbara, was sick just more than two years ago and he had to call on the local emergency service personnel more than once.
“They were always there in minutes and were just fantastic,” Kneller said. “Unfortunately, she eventually passed away from the illness.”
To honor his wife’s memory and the work that Fire Station No. 44 does for his community of the Cascades, Kneller recently raised money to buy the station a new television.
“I went in there to say thanks and they had this little 27-inch TV,” he said. “I told them, 'I’m going to get the money and get you guys a bigger one.'”
Kneller raised $600 through his community’s men's, women's and choral clubs to buy the TV. He also put some of his own money in to buy a 42-inch television for the station in West Boynton, which opened in October.
Kneller plans to drop off the new television to the station Feb. 20.
Station No. 44 is under the umbrella of District 4, which is responsible for eight fire- rescue stations in South Palm Beach County and the staff of 192 staff members it takes to run the 21 vehicles in those stations.
District 4 covers the general area from Lantana Road, south to Clint Moore Road, west to U. S. Highway 441 and back north to Lantana Road. The eastern borders are the cities of Boynton Beach and Delray Beach.
Kneller’s efforts were not done for recognition or fanfare. District 4 Chief William Rowley said he was not even aware of the new TV.
“Of course we appreciate the citizen’s generosity and know the men at that station will enjoy it,” Rowley said.
As for what Kneller said about medical care from District 4, 76 percent of calls are medical with 24 percent for extinguishing fires.

In District 4, each of the eight stations has a rescue engine and a rescue ambulance with paramedics in every unit.
“There is not a day when I don’t see one of their trucks along my streets and I just wanted to say thank you for their help,” Kneller said.
The addition of Fire Station 44, between Jog and Hagen Ranch roads, helped to reduce response times from other stations nearby that are loaded with calls.

Mike Rothman can be reached at mkrothman@tribune.com.