Ville Platte Rotary Club hears from new Ville Platte Fire Chief December 8, 2020 The Ville Platte Rotary Club today (Tuesday) heard from new Ville Platte Fire Chief Chris Soileau. Soileau is a 30 year veteran of the fire service and has moved up through the ranks. Before his recent appointment, Soileau served as Training and Safety Officer. He said the Ville Platte Fire Department is celebrating its centennial. It was shortly after the tragic dance hall fire in downtown Ville Platte in 1919 that the city created its first fire department. Some seven years later, the department purchased its first motorized fire truck. Soileau said the department was able to recently purchase that original fire unit that is in remarkably good shape. Chief Soileau reported that the fire department covers one third of Evangeline Parish with 12 fulltime personnel , six part time firefighters and 15 active volunteers. The fire district includes rural fire departments in Chataignier, Faubourg and Belaire Cove. Plans are in the works to add a fourth rural station on the West side of Ville Platte in the Te Mamou area. The fire chief also announced the department now has its first female full time paid firefighter: Courtney Edwards Brown who is a certified firefighter after completing the fire academy. The fire department works hard to keep a good fire insurance rating with the state to keep home owners property insurance rates as low as possible. Chief Soileau was the special guest of Rotarian Abby Bergeron Landreneau. Renee Brown, marketing director with Mercy Regional Medical Center advised club members that some twelve businesses will be erecting artificial trees and lights on the empty lot next to the hospital. The lights will be turned for the Community Winter Wonderland site beginning December 17. Families will be invited to come view the display.