It Takes a Village To Fight a Fire - Thoughts and pictures by UseppaGin - Useppa has its own Fire Department. Chief Maria Silva and Assistant Chief Chris Wilfong working with mainland firefighters Ed Plyaka and others know the Island and its structures. They know the idiosyncrasies of its homes. They have all the necessary equipment for fire and health emergencies. But in a crisis, extra hands might be necessary, jobs shared. Knowledgeable and prepared Island residents might be needed. On Friday January 24th the first 2020 Training Session was held. Homeowners were invited to the Firehouse and showed equipment, told how it was used. Procedures were explained, and then the highpoint for many was … a chance to actually put a helmet on, use the fire truck hose. Thank you to Chief Maria, Chris and Ed for leading our first class.