Restore Hope: Aid Dave Weiss's Farm Recovery

This past week, one of the last remaining dairy farms in Sullivan County lost the entire contents of an equipment barn in a terrible fire. The owner, 74-year-old Dave Weiss, a third-generation dairy farmer, is struggling to manage the disaster and begin his recovery process.

On Wednesday, November 13, at about 4 pm, a loud “pop” was heard in the barn by nearby workers. Upon entering the barn, they were confronted with a fierce inferno, quickly consuming anything flammable along the north wall. They briefly battled the blaze with available fire extinguishers, but the fire grew too quickly for them to control. The Swan Lake Fire Department was called and quickly arrived on the scene, and was soon joined by several other departments. However, a great deal of damage had occurred before the fire was finally brought under control at around 9 pm.

In the days following the fire, Dave and a small band of volunteers have begun to sort through the charred remains of tools and equipment, but it seems that very little can be salvaged. The heat damage, as well as damage from the water used to combat the fire, have taken quite a toll. The major items lost include a John Deere tractor, a 1952 classic flatbed truck, a diesel sawmill, a late model ATV, as well as several MIG welders, compressors, generators, and other high-cost farm maintenance equipment.

The barn itself may not be a total loss. As its construction consisted of wooden trusses and steel panels, many of the trusses will either need to be repaired or replaced, but many of the steel panels are intact and can remain in place.

The dairy did have minimal fire insurance coverage, but this is not expected to cover even a small fraction of the losses.

This fire couldn’t have happened at a worse time with winter quickly approaching. I am in hopes that you can find it in your heart to make a small contribution to help Dave save his farm, his livelihood.