e e r
F
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
CRFR gets 2 new fire trucks Originally published in The Chronicle Vol. 139 Dec. 22, 2021
Also available every week at: thechronicleonline. com and at thechiefnews.com
JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Columbia River Fire & Rescue (CRFR) is sporting two new fire trucks that are designed to add increased efficiency to the fire agency’s overall operations. The Chronicle spoke with CRFR Division Chief of Operations Eric Smythe to find out specific details about the new rigs. The Chronicle: Specifically, please describe what these two trucks carry, what they offer the community and where they will be stationed and why those station locations? Eric Smythe: The Rosenbauer/Freightliner Fire Apparatus offers our firefighters access to any location in our district or county regardless of weather or road conditions. The fire engines are 4-wheel drive and have the ability to traverse unmaintained roads, trails, and steep terrain. These fire engines carry a full complement of fire hose, supply hose, tools, self-contained breathing apparatus, and have the ability to fight fire while driving. This ability to pump (fight fire) and roll (drive) gives our firefighters the ability to attack moving forest fires at a speed faster than we can deploy hose. CRFR has not purchased new fire engines in 20 years, the last engines we purchased was in 2003 and we still operate and maintain those vehicles in our fleet. One of the new engines will be stationed at our Fairgrounds Station 472, next to the Columbia County Fairgrounds and surrounding areas. The other engine will be stationed at our Rainier Fire Station 476, allowing utilization for the Goble, Fernhill, Rainier, and the east end of the Clatskanie Fire District. The Chronicle: What was the cost of the two fire trucks and how have they been funded? Smythe: The purchase cost per apparatus was approximately $463,000. CRFR maintains an apparatus replacement plan that allowed for the purchase of one of the engines with funds from our apparatus capital line-item, the remaining cost was financed over a three-five year period. At the end of the term or sooner the second engine
Below is a list of WHERE to pick up a FREE copy of the print edition of the News-Advertiser.
CLATSKANIE • CLATSKANIE SAFEWAY • HI SCHOOL PHARMACY IN CLATSKANIE • CLATSKANIE MARKET
Courtesy photo from CRFR
Crews push in the new fire truck at the fairgrounds station in St. Helens. The push is a fire service tradition that dates back to the 1800s.
SCAPPOOSE • ROAD RUNNER GAS & GROCERY • JACKPOT 76 • ENGSTROM CHEVRON • B&B MARKET • FRED MEYER • SMOKE SHOP • NELSON NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET • ACE • GROCERY OUTLET ST. HELENS • CHUBB’S CHEVRON • SHERLOCK’S • YANKTON STORE • ZATTERBURG’S • MARKET FRESH • WALGREENS • BEST WESTERN • MOLLY’S MARKET • WALMART • ACE • DON’S RENTAL DEER ISLAND • DEER ISLAND STORE COLUMBIA CITY • COLUMBIA CITY GROCERY & GAS
Courtesy photo from CRFR
The Rainier CRFR crew ease in the fire truck at the Rainier station. The push is a fire service tradition that dates back to the 1800s.
will be paid for out of our general fund account. We are looking to replace the fire engine at St. Helens Station 471 once we complete the payment of the second Rosenbauer fire apparatus. This will ensure our front-line fleet of fire engines will serve the communities for decades to come. The Chronicle: What other equipment needs are being considered by CRFR and why? Smythe: CRFR maintains a fleet of seven fire engines, one ladder/squirt aerial apparatus, two heavy brush fire engines, two light brush engines, four water tenders, eight ambulances, one heavy rescue/extrication vehicle, and a host of support vehicles from our eight strategically
located fire stations. We maintain a staff of up to 12 firefighters and two single role Emergency Medical Services (EMS) only members per shift. Currently, CRFR responds to approximately 7,000 incidents per year and continues to increase. We have approximately 30 volunteers fire and EMS personnel to respond and assist our career staff members on a daily basis. The district has an apparatus replacement plan that monitors and maintains our fleet, we are constantly assessing our community needs and selecting equipment that provide the best service to our citizens. CRFR maintains our own mechanic shop, with two of the best emergency vehicle technicians in Columbia County. These certified Emer-
gency Vehicle Technician (EVT) trained-mechanics are versed in the latest repair and maintenance systems to keep our vehicles ready to respond at all times. Our maintenance facility offers support to other fire districts, law enforcement, and city vehicle fleets throughout Columbia County. We are proud of the men and women that serve our communities, we provide the apparatus necessary to ensure we can get to any location in timely, efficient, and professional manner. The Chronicle: What would be the next steps in obtaining the additional needed equipment? Smythe: CRFR operates an apparatus committee made up of administrative, career
firefighters, and volunteers that reviews, researches, and makes recommendations for future apparatus/equipment needs. Decisions are not made in a vacuum, but through a careful process that identifies the needs of our citizens and district personnel in order to ensure we can respond to all emergencies with the appropriate resources. CRFR is evaluating and moving forward with replacement of several older non-off road capable ambulances. The goal is to ensure our entire emergency medical fleet is all weather capable. The district is also looking at replacing some of our aging water tender apparatus with newer, all weather/off road capable equipment to meet the needs of not only our district but our mutual aid partners as well.
January Special 20% off*
annual subscription to The Chief Reg $60, Now $48
Bonus offer! New subscriptions and renewals made through January 31, 2022 also get $20 Gift Card off ANY personal or classified ad! Offer lasts for your entire subscription term. *Our 20% Jaunary Special offer is not valid on online subscriptions. Call in your subscription order to (503) 397-0116
The Chief
Call 503-397-0116 to subscribe to The Chief 1805 Columbia Blvd. St. Helens, OR 97051 www.thechiefnews.com
RAINIER • ALSTON STORE • DOLLAR GENERAL • GROCERY OUTLET Ceremony In a ceremony conducted at the CRFR Fairgrounds Station at St. Helens and at the Rainier Station in Rainier, crew members pushed the new engines into their station bays. Smythe said its been a fire department tradition since the 1800s. “Horse drawn wagon‘s that had fire equipment had to be disconnected from the horses and pushed back into the bays after a response,” he said. “The tradition was transferred to gasoline or diesel power equipment to maintain our connection to the past.”