Volunteer Firefighter truck

A 0K grant assisted the Brimson region Volunteer Fire Dept. buy an innovative new liquid tender truck

By Jamey Malcomb
Lake County News-Chronicle

BRIMSON, Minn. — For a tiny, 14-member volunteer fire department, $100, 000 is a giant sum of cash. This is the predicted cost a unique water tender truck for fire divisions, but thank goodness the Brimson Area Volunteer Fire division managed to choose the automobile just for $4, 300.

The Minnesota Department of All-natural sources' remote Fire Department Program was able to assist the BAVFD buy the vehicle through a U.S. Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program that makes excess equipment able to help fire department functions available at an affordable on DNR and regional fire divisions. In reality, the DNR requires the division to pay just the shipping charges for the gear, that the truth associated with the BAVFD amounted to $4, 300 for the water tender truck. The department also must buy about $10, 000 in modifications to make it appropriate use, but that is an expense the division might have incurred whether or not they bought the truck brand-new.

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"simply for the truck brand-new, it could price about $100, 000 and they might still need to include all of that other things to bring it into compliance as an emergency car, " DNR rural fire programs coordinator Tim Oland stated.

The six-cylinder diesel-fueled water tender can haul 1, 200 gallons of water to program a pumper and is more straightforward to drive down roadway. The BAVFD provides fire suppression and crisis services to a 360-square mile location which includes portions of the Superior nationwide woodland and also the Cloquet Valley State woodland. Paul Tine, the chief and a founder of the 35-year-old fire division, said because of the rural nature associated with area his department covers and agreements with state and federal companies, they answer even more wildfires than structure fires. The brand new truck has a greater wheelbase compared to the older truck the fire department utilized and provides much better clearance over grass and harsh landscapes.

"it absolutely was great timing due to the fact transmission went out on our 30-year-old converted milk vehicle together with 1970's armed forces six-by-six we were using was a killer to-drive having its crazy, handbook change pattern, " Tine said. "It had no temperature or air-con in addition to headlights don't work well both."

The DNR has actually a number of different programs to simply help tiny and rural fire divisions, such as the one out of Brimson, get investment for firefighting equipment and increase their buying power. The Wildland Fire Equipment product sales system allows divisions to shop for fire suppression equipment meeting wildland fire specs from DNR at an inexpensive. The DNR has a cache of gear in Grand Rapids and provides a summary of gear available for purchase on its web site.

"It really is often protective pants, tops, gloves, helmets, goggles and fire shelters, things that want to do with wildfire, they can get at cost, " Oland stated. "We're perhaps not attempting to contend with the exclusive sector by any means, we're simply attempting to extend their particular spending plan dollars."

The USFS additionally the state of Minnesota combine to give you significantly more than $300, 000 annually for Volunteer Fire help Grant system, a cost-share program offering economic and technical assistance to Minnesota fire departments in locations or communities with a population under 10, 000. Priority is provided to fire departments having the maximum need and take part in a residential area wildfire defense program. The funds typically consist of $500 to $5, 000 sufficient reason for 389 departments applying just last year, Oland said the DNR awarded 160. He stated divisions usually have a grant through VFA program as soon as every 36 months, should they continually use.

Oland said he was truly impressed utilizing the Brimson division and their tenacity protecting the location's residents from fires plus coping with spending plans and stretching their meager funds as far as they may be able go.

"I think Brimson is an actual modern outlying division with committed individuals, " he stated. "we are sure pleased with all of them for being good partners with the state and federal companies we make use of."