Paying it forward

BONNERS FERRY — This a community of giving, sharing, and helping out those in need. That does not just pertain to everyday folks, it extends to the local agencies as well. When South Boundary Fire Protection District found itself with two extra fire engines after upgrading their equipment, they wanted to donate those vehicles to the fire department with the most need for these trucks within Boundary County.

South Boundary Fire reached out to the local fire departments and asked them to write a letter, detailing how these engines would help their department. Those letter were then read by the firefighters and board members, then they voted to decide where the new engines would reside.

One letter stood out from the rest.

“First of all my department is small and tax based with no money to buy a truck,” wrote Moyie Springs Fire Chief Ken English. “I have had my name in at the Department of Lands for the last three years and every time one comes up, before we can apply for it, it’s gone.”

The truck English was the most excited about is a Type 4 Wildland Engine that carries 750 gallons of water. The truck originally went into service with the Department of Lands in Bonners Ferry in 1988. They had it to around 2007, when they took it back to their lot in Coeur d’Alene. A year or so later, South Boundary Fire Protection District purchased the truck, bringing it back to Boundary County, where it has been in service ever since.

The current truck that the Moyie Spring Fire Department uses was one that they got in 1984. English had noticed it sitting outside of the Idaho Department of Lands building in Coeur d’Alene.

“I went and asked about it and was told that it had burned up along the highway but was fixable and we could have it,” wrote English in his letter. “So we got it home and changed all that was needed: carburetor, all the wiring, fuel pump and anything else that was needed and we got it running.”

“Not the best running,” he added.

Despite taking the truck to many outside agencies, they were never able to get it running as it should be, and it was tricky at best, to get the truck started, wasting precious time for the firefighters to be able to respond to a fire.

“There was a brush fire along US N 2 last week in North Bench’s territory and we were called out to assist,” English wrote in his letter. “One of my firemen, who was responding, asked me if he should take the brush truck. I told him to take a structure truck as he would not get to the fire in time to be of any help.”

English looked across the field at the Type 4 Wildland Engine that South Boundary donated to his department.

“This gives me a brush truck that I can drive out of the shop with,” he said with a smile. “The one that I’ve got takes a good twenty minutes before you would ever be able to get it out of the shop. It’s just not dependable. This one has more water capacity — a whole lot better system than what we’ve got.”

The second fire truck also found a home with Moyie Springs Fire, with a much larger water tank capacity that the trucks they have currently. Looking like a classic fire truck, the Type 1 Structure Engine carries 1250 gallons and has the ability to pump 1250 gallons per minute.

“The capacity is the big thing,” explained South Boundary Fire Chief Tony Rohrwasser. “Out here, we don’t have the water supplies in the rural areas to be able to pump that kind of speed. Having that extra capacity in the tank is huge.”

The truck originally was donated to South Boundary Fire by Timber Lake Fire. Shortly after that, they purchased another truck with a slightly larger water capacity.

“We felt that since this other truck was donated to us, we thought it would only be fair to try to give a hand to anybody that we could,” Rohrwasser said.

English wrote in his letter that the truck would be a definite asset for the City and help with upgrading their rating system, while the increased water capacity would provide additional safety and protection of the city residents.

English is very grateful for the engines that his department received from South Boundary Fire. They will fill a void and allow the firefighters to better serve their community.

“It will sure make it a lot better for me to respond to a fire,” English said. “Tony’s equipment is always top notch, so I know I am getting top notch equipment.”