District receives tax-free fire apparatus

The federal government has developed equipment repurposing programs that provide apparatus to community fire departments and law enforcement agencies across the country at little to no cost to taxpayers.

And, within the last year, South Boundary Fire Protection District has acquired hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment that the department would not have the luxury of purchasing under its current budget.

Managed through the Idaho Department of Lands, the Firefighter Program and the Federal Excess Personal Property program take used government, military, and U.S. Forest Service equipment and make it available to communities across the country.

“The FFP is military equipment and under this program, we are responsible to paint the equipment, put our logo on it and run it for a year, at which time, it is ours free and clear to keep or sell,” said South Boundary Fire District Chief Tony Rohrwasser. “The FEPP is federally-owned equipment, such as Forest Service. In this program, we use it as long as we wish, but it is owned by the program and must be returned when we are done. And, we can return it in whatever condition it is in at that time.”

“In recent months, our state has made over $13 million in acquisition values, making Idaho one of the leading states in these equipment repurposing programs,” said IDL Cash Manager Justin Mulhauser. “This program is a wonderful example of how Government is reutilizing our tax dollars.”

According to Rohrwasser, grants are not always a favorable option, because taxpayers are still being taxed on those “free” funds. However, with this program, no additional taxpayer dollars are being used with these grants. The government has already purchased the piece of equipment and they are repurposing it back to the community.

In order to apply for an FFP or an FEPP, fire departments simply fill out a single page questionnaire and IDL works on trying to acquire the requested item(s). Everything from firefighting tools to motorized equipment to portable communication buildings are possible.

Volunteer departments can also request equipment, training, etc., through the Volunteer Fire Assistance grant.

Within the last year, under the FFP, the South Boundary Fire Protection District received a 2010, AM General highway tractor, which they installed a tank and painted, in order to create a type two tactical water tender capable of carrying 2,500 gallons of water.

The FFP also provided the department with two, self-contained, trailer-mounted diesel generators with fuel tanks, batteries etc.

“They will be plugged in as back up generators for station two and three, and because they are portable, they can also be used in emergency situations,” Rohrwasser said. “They are ideal for large incidents and situations where power and lights are needed, and can be used as a resource anywhere within the three northern counties.”

A 1980’s Freightliner Unimog with a forklift and crane with a 29’ boom was also acquired under the FFP, allowing the department to be self sufficient when it comes to vehicle rescue situations.

“Up until now, we’ve had to rely on ALTA to assist us with any major moving needs, such as a vehicle over an embankment situation, but now we’re able to do a lot of these things ourselves without having to spend tax dollars,” Rohrwasser said.

In November, the department acquired a 2000 LMTV cabover six-wheel-drive, with a slip-in pump and tank unit, in order to create a type four wildland engine.

“We own it, free and clear,” Rohrwasser said. “It’s valued at $180 thousand and all we had to pay is $57 for shipping. It’s operational and ready to go.”

Under the VFA grant, South Boundary also acquired a 1999 Ford, 4-wheel-drive, four-door diesel truck, with a slip-in pump and a tank unit through the FEPP program to create a type six wildland engine.

The FFP also covered a portable diesel powered water pump and a heavy duty 24 volt Warn Winch, as well as a 1990 Amertek four-wheel-drive airport crash rig/wildland engine/structure engine that carries 660 gallons of water and 50 gallons of foam.

“All we had to do is write a letter explaining why we need it and what our department would use it for,” Rohrwasser said. “The unit is valued somewhere between $30 to $40 thousand, but all we had to do was pay $1,000 for shipping from California.”

“With so many fire agencies in the United States being in the same boat as us here in Boundary County, where we have what is termed as “spaghetti feed” and “bake sale budgets,” we need to be inventive in ways to acquire assets to protect the communities that we serve,” Rohrwasser said. “These grant programs are a huge return for minimal input on our end.”

There is also a law enforcement equivalent to the FFP and FEPP grant programs.

Information: IDL Fire Management Bureau Chief JT Wensman at 208-666-8650, Public Information Officer Emily Callihan at 208-334-0236, IDL Logistics Program Manager Justin Mulhauser at 208-818-7062.