News 2006

NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Fire Districts 3 and 4 signed a contract that may lead to the merging of the two districts that cover from Diamond Lake to Usk. With the filing of a new interlocal agreement between Districts 3 and 4, Mark Havener will be fire chief half time at each location under the one-year plan. The plan will be reviewed in six months, renewed in one year and, if all goes well, could be put to a vote as a permanent melding of the districts in 2008.

“I equate this year as a dating process,” Havener said. “We would look in 2008 at putting an initiative on the ballot that would merge the districts…that’s a bigger vision.”

The districts serve a combined 8,000 residents and collect a combined $400,000 in tax revenue each year to provide fire protection to those districts. District No. 3 serves 5,300 and expects to collect about $187,000 in tax revenue in 2007, while District No. 4 serves 2,700 people and has a projected $215,000 in tax revenue.

In District 3, lakeside property values are rising, and District No. 4 is home to Ponderay Newsprint, which at $107 million has a large assessed value, though declining due to depreciation. A few years ago, the mill was assessed at $300 million.

District 4 has had a part-time chief in the past, most recently Steve Gibson. When Gibson took a leave of absence from the chief position last summer the district looked at different options. District 4 commission chairman Randy Shukle said the district couldn’t afford to pay a full-time chief. Instead, they will share Havener’s salary, paying District 3 $28,600 per year. The two districts will each keep their own separate budgets.

Havener will spend a portion of his time in each district, but said specific hours are not listed in the agreement because management of each fire district is dynamic.

Shukle said the commission was glad to find a plan that will allow them to retain their full-time captain, Steve Scott. Still, Shukle said, this is being treated as a trial period and though eyes are definitely on a merger, that’s a ways down the road.

Havener said he thinks the agreement will lead to increased efficiency. As one of only three full-time fire district employees in the county, Havener already serves as a valuable resource for the other Pend Oreille fire districts, which are made up of volunteers.

Fire District No. 3 commissioner Wes Bailey said service will not be affected in his district. "Everything’s moving ahead,” Bailey said. He said the firefighters in the district have a very positive feeling about the change.

Bruce Coleman, chief of Fire District No. 7, said Havener has done a lot of legwork for smaller districts like his, leading them to grant sources that they would have never found on their own. District No. 7 is building a water tender with grant funding they heard about from Havener, Coleman said. Coleman said the Pend Oreille fire districts all work well together.

“It’s not about building kingdoms; it’s how can we better serve,” Havener said.

Published in the Newport Miner - December 13, 2006 By Jeanne Gustafson of the Newport Miner Return to Top

Unfinished House Razed in Fire
DIAMOND LAKE – Several pets died in a fire that destroyed a partially constructed home on Hilltop Road near Diamond Lake late Tuesday, Dec. 5. The owner was living there during construction, but was not home at the time of the fire. Fire officials suspect an unattended wood burning stove may be the cause of the fire, which was ruled accidental.

Volunteer firefighters responded to the blaze but had trouble finding the location due to poor road marking in the area. Once they located the blaze, they could not reach the structure. One of Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3’s structural fire trucks actually got stuck, chief Mark Havener said. A four-wheel drive vehicle was used to access the property, but could not save the uninsured home. Havener said the owner, who he would not identify, is receiving assistance from Red Cross in Spokane.

DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille Fire District 3, which covers the Diamond Lake area, has recently announced that the department was awarded a 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant to purchase a new fire engine. The grant award was made from FEMA and Department of Homeland Security to replace one of the district’s oldest fire engines, a 1981 Mack. The grant award is for $272,000.

The commissioners at fire district 3 advertised for bids for the new engine and they entertained bid documents from seven different apparatus manufacturers. They awarded the bid at their last meeting to General Fire Apparatus in Spokane who represents Rosenbauer Fire Apparatus.

The new fire engine will have enclosed seating for six firefighters, a 1,000-gallon water tank, fire pump, ladders, Class A foam system, area scene lighting and a built-in 6,000-watt generator. The expected delivery date of the new fire truck will be September of 2007.

Fire District No. 3 Changes Meeting Dates
DIAMOND LAKE – The regularly scheduled meeting on the third Tuesday of November (Nov. 21) has been rescheduled to Monday, Nov. 20 for the commissioners of Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3. The meeting will be held at Station 31 in Diamond Lake at 7 p.m. In addition, this meeting will include a public review and approval of the 2007 budget for the fire district and a supplemental appropriation for the 2006 annual budget. Anyone wishing to be heard on these budget process and review may attend.
Published in the Newport Miner - October 25, 2006 Return to Top

Bids - Fire Engine / Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3
Request for Bids
Project: Fire Engine for Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Pend Oreille County Fire District 3 is requesting bids from qualified vendors for a new 1250 gpm custom Fire Engine and loose equipment. The purchase of this fire engine and equipment is the result of a successful grant application that was recently awarded.

Pend Oreille County Fire District 3
325272 Hwy 2
Newport, WA 99156
Ref: Fire Engine

Bids should be returned to Pend Oreille County Fire District 3 at the above address and marked Fire Engine Bid by November 10th @ 0845 PST.

Bid opening date will be November 10th at 0900. Location will be Pend Oreille County Fire District 3 Station 31, 325272 Hwy 2, Newport, WA 99156.
Published in The Newport Miner October 25, 2006.

Fire District 3 Receives Training Reimbursement
DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3 recently was awarded a $5,600 reimbursement for firefighter training from the Washington State Fire Marshall Office Training Division.

If you have any questions regarding the fire district, visit the Web site www.pofd3.org or call 509-447-5305.
Published in the Newport Miner - October 25, 2006 Return to Top

Pastor’s Family Loses Belongings in Fire

NEWPORT – The Smith family has so generously given to those in need, but a disastrous fire has left them with almost nothing. The place that Church of Faith Pastor Wayne Smith and his family called home was destroyed in a fire the morning of Oct. 17.

Wayne and Sue Smith were temporarily living in a 40-foot fifth-wheel travel trailer near Diamond Lake with their daughters, Rachel, 16, and Leanne, 10. A neighbor reported the fire at 11:16 a.m. on Tuesday after seeing a column of smoke coming from the area. No one was home at the time, and no injuries were reported. Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 responded within six minutes with a crew of 10. Three additional firefighters from the Newport Fire Department provided mutual aid. District No. 3 Chief Mark Havener said the fire was well developed by the time the fire district was notified. But being that the structure was a travel trailer and not a home, he said the crew was able to extinguish the flames in three minutes. Havener said they determined the fire was caused by improper use of an extension cord.

Terrie Morelli, who serves as treasurer at the Church of Faith in Oldtown where Smith pastors, said that the Lord was at work that day. The fire from the trailer melted a storage building on the property and damaged the dog kennel next to the trailer, but the Smith’s three dogs were fine. Wayne and Sue Smith, who also operate a janitorial business, were at the church at the time of the fire. A friend called to tell them the news. “They’re such compassionate people, they will help anybody in need,” Morelli said. “Sue said they don’t have very much, but what they have is gone.”

A Priest River resident has donated their summer home for the Smiths to stay while they rebuild their lives. The family bought the Diamond Lake property this summer and moved from a parsonage outside of Newport. They were hoping to move a mobile home to the property by spring. After the fire, Dr. Jeremy Lewis, who works at Family Medicine in Newport rented them two rooms at the Newport City Inn. The Church of Faith has established a benevolence fund. Donations can be sent to 653 Silver Birch Lane, Oldtown ID 83822. Call Morelli at 208-448-2110 with questions. Morelli said the Smiths need food, kitchen furnishings, and furniture. She said they are set for clothing. Food can be dropped off at the John L. Scott building at 301 N. Union Ave. in Newport (509-447-3144) or 910 Albeni Road, Suite A in Priest River (208-448-1003). Realtor Mary Ann Jones has volunteered to store larger items, such as furniture, in her basement.
Article by Janelle Atyeo of The Miner

Photo by POFD 3 Volunteer Photographer Dennis Merritt
Published in the Newport Miner - October 25, 2006 Return to Top

Deputy State Treasurer Allan Martin and Commissioner Leonard Pielli of Pend Oreille County FD #3

The LOCAL program serves local governments of every size and type, and we have no better customers or ambassadors than our friends in the fire districts of Washington.

LOCAL helps fire districts make sound business decisions about the acquisition of new equipment. The LOCAL program, combined with good local management, allows fire districts to make risk-analysis decisions to replace equipment, rather than budget-based decisions..

Of course, fire districts have access to the bond markets at low costs when they use our well-established, efficient LOCAL program.

"Local appeals to fire districts because of the customer service and ease of using the program," says Roger Ferris, executive director of the Washington Fire Commissioners Association and long-time member of the of the LOCAL advisory committee...

Note: Local Option Capital Asset Lending was utilized to fund the construction of the new Sacheen Lake Station.

DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille County Fire District 3 is seeking the community support for the funding of our Apparatus Replacement Plan.

Fire District 3 currently serves the community with an aging fleet of apparatus. The average age of our equipment is nearly 19 years old. Our fire engines that are the first to respond to a house fire are 23, 24 and 25 years old. The current fire engines no longer meet the recognized safety standards for protecting your volunteers who protect your community. These fire engines do not have the same reliability they once had because of the many years of service that have given here and in other fire departments.

The Fire District responds to approximately 200 requests for service annually out of three fire stations.

Recently, the commissioners of Fire District 3 approved an Apparatus Replacement Plan. Our vision of this plan is to provide safe equipment for the volunteer firefighters to respond in and provide a reliable response to our community and our neighbors.

This plan, which is designed to replace the aging vehicles in the department with high quality pre-owned equipment, will enable the district to keep safe and reliable apparatus serving the community.

Fire District 3 is placing before the voters on the upcoming ballot a request to approve a 30 cent per $1000 dollars of assessed value special levy. This levy will be collected for a period of 4 years and then it will expire. The levy will generate approximately $65,000 per year and fund the Apparatus Replacement Plan. Upon the expiration of the levy and after completing the purchase of pre-owned fire equipment, the Apparatus Replacement Plan will have a balance that will ensure sustainability of funding for the future replacement of apparatus. This levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home approximately $30 per year or a $150,000 home approximately $45. per year.

The administration of the fire district developed this plan to also be financially responsible. By purchasing high quality pre-owned fire trucks, we will expect to have a vehicle that will serve the community up to 15 years and will save the district over $150,000 on each fire truck. This savings is found when we compare the price tag of a 10 year old fire truck to a brand new fire truck. The Fire District will carefully screen the pre-owned equipment to be sure we are making a smart purchase for the community.

Fire District 3 is a separate taxing district/ entity from Pend Oreille County. We only receive our funding from voter approved levy sources, grants and donations.

Our community will realize the following benefits by approving the funding of this Apparatus Replacement Plan; Reliable Response to the community, Safer Fire Apparatus for Volunteers, Decreased maintenance costs, Replace Aging equipment in a timely manner, and Create Funding stability for the future.

The volunteers, commissioner’s and Chief’s of Fire District #3 are in a constant battle with providing top quality service with ever increasing costs and decreasing revenue collected.

Fire District 3 has also been hard at work to do our part in replacing the aging equipment. The Fire District has been successful in receiving grants for equipment and Fire District 3 members have taken on many projects to assist in the efficient operation of the district. These have included fund raising campaigns, grant requests and the receipt of generous donations. Fortunately we have been successful in a number of these efforts. These efforts have supplemented the operating budget each year in the acquisition of equipment, safety gear and tools to better serve our members and the community.

We hope that you will see a need for the approval of this request to fund the Apparatus Replacement Plan so that we may continue to provide quality service in your community and to you. The members and administration of Pend Oreille Fire District #3 would appreciate your support.

If you have any questions, Call our office at 447-5305; see our website at www.pofd3.org; or stop by the Diamond Lake Station M-F 8am – 4pm.
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DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 is changing its August meeting from August 15 to August 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Diamond Lake fire station. This is being done to maintain a quorum to conduct fire district business.

DIAMOND LAKE – The Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 announces the addition of a new service to the community and the county. The water rescue team was recently activated with 10 members and new equipment.

District No. 3 recently acquired a 2006 Yamaha Waverunner that is being used in both the district and across the county. The Yamaha Waverunner was donated through the Personal Watercraft Industry and River City Yamaha in Post Falls. Training Officer Dean Keck applied for a grant and was successful in obtaining the new watercraft. The district then developed the training and purchased support equipment to make the team functional.

Volunteer Joanie Suttle donated the use of a wave runner trailer to allow easy transport of the rescue vehicle.

The team is made up of 10 fire district members who include Alex Arnold, Dean Keck, Suttle, Brad Wear, Randy Pymm, Michele Fisk, Perry Pearman, Dave Williams, Larry Eldridge and Mark Havener. The team has trained in surface water rescue, safe boat operations and patient packaging and transport.

The team and the watercraft have started to fulfill its mission of providing water rescue and water safety education to Pend Oreille County. The team participated in the recent search for a drowning victim and was involved in safety education at the Diamond Lake Boat Parade.

If you have questions about the water rescue or any other program, e-mail Chief Mark Havener at mark@pofd3.org, or call Diamond Lake Station Office at 509-447-5305.

NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 personnel are experiencing a relatively safe early wildland fire season, chief Mark Havener said. The firefighters have had their share of small wildland fires so far this year but, the majority have been small and naturally caused. A trend that has been noticed in past years in Pend Oreille County is that 75 percent of the wild land fires have been caused by people. The other 25 percent are mostly natural causes, Havener said, and the goal of fire districts is to reduce the threat of wild land fires by eliminating those that are caused by humans.

As the area progress through the warmer and drier months, the threat of wild land fires increases. Light, flashy fuels dry out quickly and larger fuels become drier to the point that they add to the fuel loading in our natural areas. Currently the Fire Rating Danger is at moderate. The current fire danger can be found at our website www.pofd3.org or by calling the Burn Hotline at 1-800-323-BURN. “With this in mind, be smart, safe and responsible when it comes to summer time fires,” Havener said. Residents can assist the firefighters and protect homes by having a “fire wise” landscape and home. There are many things that a property owner can do to lessen the threat of wild land fire and provide for better suppression activities.

A survey that you can complete will identify areas where you can improve your homes survivability.

• Means of access: Is there more than one way off of your property? Is the road wide enough for fire apparatus to safely get to your property and turn around? Is the road in good condition for larger fire trucks? Do you have your address easily identified from the road?

• What types of fuels are around the home and property? Can those fuel loads be reduced? Do you have an adequate defensible space of 100 feet?

• Home construction: Is the home located on a slope? This would increase the distance of the defensible space. What is the roofing material? Is it non-combustible? Is the home built with limited or non-combustible materials?

• What fire protection do you have available – fire Hydrants, cistern for water supply for fire trucks? Is there a year-round water source that can be improved?

• What other hazards can be eliminated from around the home? Firewood should be stacked away from the home. Propane and other flammable gasses and liquids should be stored away from the home. Excess vegetation near the home creates a fire hazard.

Fire District No. 3 to Get Thermal Imaging Camera

Beth Kilpatrick Presents Chief Mark Havener with a Fireman's Fund Check for Thermal Imaging Camera

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3 near Diamond Lake was awarded an $18,997 grant from Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in Seattle. The district will use the grant funds to buy a thermal imaging camera with remote command viewing equipment. This equipment helps firefighters and rescue personnel see through smoke and darkness to help find victims or quickly locate the source of a fire. With a thermal imaging camera in hand, firefighters can often extinguish the source of a fire before it spreads.

“This grant will enable us to buy up-to-date firefighting technology for rural Northeastern Washington that we couldn’t otherwise afford,” Fire Chief Mark Havener said. “We applied for funding for the camera from several other organizations in the past, but Fireman’s Fund was the first to award us the grant. “The new equipment will increase levels of safety as well as help reduce property loss, allowing our fire department to better serve the community.”

Seattle-based Fireman’s Fund employee Beth Kirkpatrick nominated the department, which has a coverage area that includes a 100-mile radius and a population of 5,200 people, for the grant. “As a child I spent all my summers in Newport and several members of my family still live there,” said Kirkpatrick, a Fireman’s Fund marine underwriter.

The grant is one of 14 grants Fireman’s Fund is awarding this quarter through the Fireman’s Fund Heritage SM program. Fireman’s Fund employees and network of independent agents award grants and provide volunteer support to local fire departments, national firefighter organizations and non-profit fire and burn prevention organizations. Since the program’s inception in 2004, the company has awarded millions of dollars in grants for fire equipment, training and community education programs.

Last year, Fireman’s Fund employees volunteered more than 1,000 hours to support the fire service nationwide and nominated 90 fire departments for grants, of which 47 received funding totaling more than $900,000. This is in addition to grants awarded through independent agents who offer Fireman’s Fund products and services.
Published in the Newport Miner - July 5, 2006 Return to Top

Safety First on July 4
NEWPORT – Sheriff’s offices in both Pend Oreille and Bonner counties are asking residents and visitors alike to have a safe and happy Fourth of July. Both departments will be monitoring firework activity, enforcing both local and state laws. In Pend Oreille County, “common fireworks” from a licensed retail fireworks stand are allowed between June 28 at noon to July 6 at noon. The purchase or discharge of fireworks is prohibited between the hours of 11 p.m. and 9 a.m. with the exception of July 4, where fireworks can be set off until midnight...

...Pend Oreille Fire District Chief Mark Havener said along with following laws on which fireworks are legal and illegal, protocol for legal fireworks should keep safety in mind. He said used fireworks should be soaked in a bucket of water. Fireworks that don’t ignite the first time or “duds” should not be re-lit, but soaked in a bucket of water. Havener said only one firework should be lit at a time and not thrown or held in the hand. He also said fireworks should only be lit by responsible adults. After you are done lighting fireworks, thoroughly check the area for any smoldering spots and be wary of windy weather. By Michelle Nedved of The Miner - Published in the Newport Miner - June 28, 2006 Return to Top

Agencies Schedule Changes for the Fourth of July
NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Fire Protection District No. 3 will meet Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. rather than Tuesday at the Diamond Lake Fire Station.

Newport Fired Up About New Elective

NEWPORT – When school begins again next year, firefighters will be a very hot topic at Newport High School. The high school has entered into a partnership with Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 and other agencies to provide a two-year vocational program to high school junior and seniors, which would teach the fundamentals of fire science and prepare students for further education and for the civil service test.

“Mr. (Steve) Shumski and I had been talking about this for quite a few years,” Newport math and English teacher Randy Wyrobek said. “We said what if we put together a curriculum for a two-year program…but have it so that the kids can participate, get them encouraged, get them excited.”

“When I was out of high school I didn’t know what the heck I wanted to do, so when I went in to the military and got the opportunity to get into the fire service, that was my niche,” Wyrobek said.

He spent four years after high school as a firefighter in the U.S. Air Force, then another 18 years as a fireman at Spokane International Airport. Wyrobek intends to use the elective to teach a lot of the principles he covers in his regular math and English classes, as well.

The fire science course is offered as part of a new program called skills streaming, Wyrobek said, which includes a computer tech component, metal shop and wood shop. Wyrobek said bringing the individual vocational programs under a skills center umbrella will allow the school to bring in industry professionals to teach specialized units, and the program can compete now at a state and national level for scholarships.

The new fire science program will be mutually beneficial to fire districts like Fire District 3 as well, Fire Chief Mark Havener said.

Not only does the partnership with a school open up new grant avenues for the districts that participate, the program will hopefully fill a need for volunteer firefighters being lost as young people pursue summer jobs in lieu of joining the junior firefighter academy that runs for six weeks in the summer, Havener said.

Havener said fire district No. 8 has 12 people enrolled in their summer academy, but 10 of those are trying to finish up fire training they began in a Riverside High School program similar to the new Newport program.

The students will spend their first year learning theory and academics; they’ll be called cadets, Wyrobek said. Then, in their senior year, the students will go out with their local fire district on calls and get more hands-on training. Havener said that the second-year “rookies,” as they will then be called, will be limited in the apparatus they can use, but they will get good experience and be covered by the fire district’s insurance while training.

Right now the City of Newport doesn’t have a junior firefighter program, so students who live in that district could join other districts, Havener said.

In any case, the doors to a number of fields will be opened up to students who wish to pursue further education, Havener said, including emergency medical training or fire investigation. Ultimately, Havener said he hopes the program will steer more young people at least into the volunteer fire departments that rural areas like Pend Oreille County rely on.

With enough interest to fill two or three classes already, Wyrobek is hopeful that the fire science program will quickly catch fire with students at Newport High School. Photo link to Miner Photo by Jeanne Gustafson
Published in the Newport Miner - June 21, 2006 Return to Top

Ground Breaking for the New Sacheen Lake Station

Sacheen Lake Station Ground Breaking - Commissioners Pielli, Wilkey, and Bailey and Contractor Ramminger

SACHEEN LAKE – Pend Oreille County Fire District 3 recently held a ground breaking for the new Sacheen Fire Station. The Fire District Commissioners and the Contractor, Ramminger Construction dug the first shovels of dirt.

Twenty-eight people were in attendance and had coffee and doughnuts that were provided by Commissioner Gary Wilkey and Store and More. County Commissioners Mitch Brown and Dean Cummings and Pend Oreille County Prosecutor Tom Metzger also were in attendance. Representatives from Fire District No. 3 current and past also took part in the activities.

The new fire station site will have a steady stream of activity throughout the summer. Timber was harvested from the site this past weekend and the excavators moved equipment to the site this past week. Construction of the new 6,600 square foot station will take approximately 150 days and Fire District 3 expects to be in the station by December 1, 2006.

The new Sacheen Lake Fire Station will provide better access for the volunteers to the Sacheen Lake community, the northern part of Fire District No. 3 on highway 211, and the west end of Deer Valley Rd. The station will also be able to provide a better facility for firefighter and EMS training and more comfortable surroundings for our volunteers in the future.

Additional information will be available on the Fire District Web site at www.pofd3.org as the project progresses. In the picture from L to R Commissioner Leonard Pielli, Gary Wilkey, Wes Bailey and Contractor, Mike Ramminger. Photo by POFD 3 Photographers Dennis and Cindy Merritt.
Published in the Newport Miner - June 14, 2006 Return to Top

Fire Districts in Need of Volunteers
NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Fire Protection District No. 3, along with all of the other volunteer fire departments in the county, is looking for new members to join the district.

"Fire District No. 3 is extremely proud of all of the accomplishments and great things we have completed in the past years,” Fire Chief Mark Havener said. “We have done that because we have great volunteer members, excellent leadership and the support of the community. Even though we are very successful in our mission, we are in dire need of adding new members to our roster. The future holds a greater need for emergency services as our community grows.”

In order to sustain this service and maintain a low tax rate, districts need to have a complete roster of volunteer members. The goal for Fire District 3 is to maintain a roster of 36 volunteer members. Currently, there are 23 volunteer members and a full time chief.

Currently, Fire District 3 has three stations. They are in the process of building a new station in the Sacheen Lake area. The current 23-member roster serves an area of 100-plus square miles and a population of approximately 5,300 community residents. Fire District No. 3 provides a wide range of services, which include emergency medical response, structure and wild land fire response, motor vehicle accident extrication and rescue, water rescue services, hazardous materials response, fire prevention activities and Internet-based learning.

The Fire District’s motto is “Family, Job, Fire Department,” meaning they know time is valuable and great commitment is expected from members, Havener said. They also expect to have fun and have members that are happy and proud to serve their community.

“We know that there are a number of community members that have thought about becoming a member of their fire department,” Havener said. “Many of you have full time commitments to your job, raising a family, leisure time and other duties. Our goal is that we can provide a benefit to you by being a part of the fire department.”

Fire District No. 3 provides quarterly payment for attending training and responding to calls, insurance for volunteers while performing emergency services, opportunities for advancement, learning new skills though free training, and the opportunity to make new friends, serve the community and be a part of a great team.

If you are interested in joining Fire District 3 or finding out more about them, call 509-447-5305 or on the Web site at www.pofd3.org .
Published in the Newport Miner - June 7, 2006 Return to Top

Fire District 3 Changes Meeting Date This Month
DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 is moving this month's June 6 Commissioners Meeting date from Tuesday to Monday June 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Diamond Lake Fire Station. This is an effort to get a quorum and be able to conduct regular district business.

Fire District 3 Hires Contractor for New Building
DIAMOND LAKE – Fire District 3 has accepted a bid from Rammager Construction Inc. of Spokane to build their new Sacheen Lake station over the next 150 days. They hope to sign the contract next week, Chief Mark Havener said, and to begin construction in June.

Rammager has a lot of fire structure building experience, Havener said, having built buildings for two Spokane fire districts.

The contract price is $600,000, within the $650,000 range the district had budgeted for the project.

The new station will be located at Highway 211 near the west end of Deer Valley Road and, at 8,800 square feet, will have the capability of storing up to five fire apparatus. This will improve response times to Sacheen Lake and the surrounding community, Havener said.

The new fire station will be constructed using financing from the Local Option Capital Asset Lending program (LOCAL), a low-interest loan program offered by Washington State, and be repaid over a period of 20 years from the general operating budget. There will be no increase in taxes to pay for the new building. The property was purchased a number of years ago for this purpose.

The current Sacheen Lake station is for sale, and Havener said they might already have an offer.

Updates on the new station, which Havener hopes to occupy by Sept. 1, will be available at www.pofd3.org.

Fire District 3 Changes Meeting Date for May
DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille Fire Protection District No. 3's regular meeting on the third Tuesday of the month has been rescheduled to May 24, at 7:00 p.m. at Station 31 at Diamond Lake.

In addition, a special meeting has been scheduled for May 17 and 22 to conduct district business.

If you have any questions, call 509-447-5305 or visit the district Web site at www.pofd3.org.

Remember to Be Safe While Burning Outdoors
NEWPORT – As the weather warms up and people move outside to enjoy the spring and summer, local fire district personnel are advising residents to be careful while burning outdoors.

Fire Chief Mark Havener, from Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3, said his department has been busy responding to calls about outdoor burning over the last few weeks.

Most people are careful with fire, Havener said. They build fires in the right places at the right time. They keep them the proper size and put them out before leaving them.

Check local regulations on open burning. Right now with the well-deserved rain, there are no open burning limitations. As the weather gets hotter and drier, there will be an increase in potential for forest fires. If you have any questions whether you are allowed to have an outdoor fire, call first.

Don’t burn trash. Not only is the smoke and gases harmful to people and the environment, these fires are blown around much more easily and can lead to fire extension beyond control. Never burn aerosol cans. Heated cans can explode. Recycling is free in Pend Oreille County and in Bonner County. Trash disposal is a reasonable expense in place of burning, Havener said. Burning agriculture residue and forest litter is sometimes a necessity.

Be sure to be fully prepared before starting a fire. You will need a source of water, a bucket and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. A fire containment line should be scratched in the dirt before lighting the fire. With large fires, contact the Department of Natural Resources for a permit before burning.

Campfires should be built away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, logs and dry grass. Pile extra wood away from the fire. Start the fire small and add to it. Keep plenty of water available and have a shovel available to toss dirt on the fire to control it. Keep your fire small. A good bed of coals surrounded by rocks gives plenty of heat. Scrape away a 10-foot circle around the fire to keep it from spreading. Never leave a campfire unattended. When you are done with the fire, put it out with water, stir with a shovel, and add some more water. The fire area should be cool to your bare hand. Do not bury your coals. They can smolder and break out.

About 75 percent of wildland fires in Pend Oreille County are caused by people. A little extra care only takes a few minutes of your time, and it could prevent an enjoyable time from turning into a disaster.

Firefighters Complete Training

Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 members recently completed firefighter safety and survival training. The training, which was organized and delivered by Training Officer Dean Keck, included classroom and hands on exercises. The training was developed to provide the firefighters with the skills and knowledge of how to save themselves or fellow firefighters if something where to go wrong while operating in a structure fire. The firefighters learned rescue techniques that are effective for fellow firefighters, low profile maneuvers to get out of tight spaces after a partial collapse and rapid search techniques. The firefighters were able to conduct the drills in a simulated environment with training props that Keck and Firefighter Larry Eldridge constructed on site. The props simulated entanglement areas, reduced clearance areas and window props for firefighter rescue. The training will enable our firefighters to be more effective when confronted with a difficult situation.

Havener Completes FEMA Training
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency recently completed training for Mark Havener, fire chief of Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3, at its National Emergency Training Center. Homeland

Security trains thousands of Americans at this facility each year to enhance the ability of communities to manage significant emergencies and disasters, both manmade and natural.

Havener completed the National Fire Academy’s Fire Service Financial Management Course in Emmitsburg, Md., March 31. This course considers financial management concepts and techniques. Roles and responsibilities are addressed in terms of accountability and effectiveness. Types of budgets, their functions, and impacts are discussed in terms of requirements and options.

Solutions to issues of resources allocation and community economic change are explored. The ability to present a well articulated and comprehensive budget package to decision makers is viewed as a critical course component.

On Oct. 1, 2005, the USFA become and important part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s new Preparedness Directorate. The USFA’s continuing mission within the new directorate is to make significant contributions to the effort to prepare the nation and first responders for all hazards. The USFA maintains the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, which also hosts FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. Over a million first responders have been trained through the NETC programs of FEMA and the USFA since Sept. 11, 2001.

Fire District 3 to Replace Sacheen Fire Station
SACHEEN LAKE – Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 plans to break ground on a new fire station at Sacheen Lake by June 1. The new station, currently out for bids, will be located at Highway 211 near the west end of Deer Valley Road and, at 8,800 square feet, will have the capability of storing up to five fire apparatus. This will improve response times to Sacheen Lake and the surrounding community, Fire Chief Mark Havener said in a press release.

In 2003 Pend Oreille County Fire District 4 got a LOCAL loan to build a fire station at 4 percent interest, and in 2002, Pend Oreille County Fire District 2 purchased an ambulance using a LOCAL loan, at 4.38 percent interest. Rates for land purchases and construction were running about 4.5 percent as of September, according to LOCAL’s Web site.

“We just got word the other day that that was approved,” Havener said. The building will be pre-engineered steel.

“It comes in on a truck already built, just in pieces, and they assemble the steel frame onsite. It makes for a pretty efficient building process, and has some flexibility as well — in the future if we need more space we can adapt it pretty easily.” The taxpayers of the fire district will incur no additional costs for the new station, Havener said. The property was purchased a number of years ago and is finally being put to its intended use.

The old station, which is located on Sacheen Terrace Drive, has created challenges for the district in meeting storage and training space, access difficulties because of its location, and lack of ability to expand for the future, Havener said. The new fire station will include a larger meeting and training area. The old station and property will be offered for sale to offset the cost of the new construction.

“The bid process is primarily so we can identify a manufacturer and a contractor,” Havener said. Bids are due April 18 at 4 p.m. with a contract award scheduled for later in the month. Updates on the progress of the new station will be available at www.pofd3.org.

DIAMOND LAKE – Pend Oreille Fire Protection District No. 3 volunteers continue to complete training at outside events, Fire Chief Mark Havener said recently. Training Officer Dean Keck completed a week of training at the Washington State Training and Safety Officers conference in Wenatchee.

Keck attended the conference with great anticipation and came away with new knowledge that he will share with the department, Havener said. Keck completed training courses that allow him to train others. Those classes included: foam for the fire service, advanced vehicle extrication techniques, and firefighter safety survival techniques.

Keck also had the opportunity to network with other training officers from across the state. He brought back a number of ideas the district can use to improve the training program in Fire District 3.

Those who have an interest in becoming part of the fire district should call the Diamond Lake office at 509-447-5305 or visit the Web site at www.pofd3.org.

Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3 is in the process of constructing a new Fire Station in the community of Sacheen Lake, thereby causing the existing station and property on Terrace Drive surplus.

The legal description of the existing property is as follows: a tract of land in Harter Division, all in Government Lot 1, Section 31, Township 31, North Range 44, East of the Willamette Meridian, Pend Oreille County, Washington.

As surplus the property is deemed saleable. The Fire District Commissioners will hear comments from the public on Tuesday, April 4, 2006, during the regular scheduled Commissioners Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Diamond Lake Station, 325272 Hwy 2.

Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 is in the process of accepting proposals for the construction of a new fire station. The new fire station will be approximately 8,800 sq. feet to house apparatus and a training/meeting area. All prospective contractor may request preliminary construction documents and guidance documents from Pend Oreille County fire district No. 3.

DIAMOND LAKE –Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 members recently completed additional training to improve their capabilities and knowledge when faced with wildland fires.

Five members of the district completed the basic wildland firefighter training. By adding these members to the roster of wildland trained firefighters the district will improve the response and capabilities of the district to better serve the community, Fire Chief Mark Havener said.

The firefighters completed 24 hours of training which introduces then to the wildland fire environment, safety issues for the wildland and how to be better prepared for those events. Members who completed the class where: George Cotter, Noel Walker and Doug Barnett from Deer Valley Station 33, and from Sacheen Station 32, Brad Wear and Michelle Fisk. This brings the total number of wildland firefighters on the fire district’s roster to 22.

Fire District No. 3 also sent four wildland firefighters to attend some advanced training. The members completed 32 hours of training on intermediate wildland fire behavior. They learned how topography, weather and fuels can affect the intensity of the fire environment. They learned about the need to be able to convert those observations into effective strategy and tactics and how to predict fire behavior with a set of conditions. This advanced training was completed by Larry Eldridge and Cory Flesher from Diamond Lake station 31, Randy Pymm from Sacheen Station 32 and Havener. RETURN TO TOP

NEWPORT – Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 recently gathered for their annual firefighter awards banquet. The event was held at the Fire District No. 7 fire station with over 60 people in attendance, which included firefighters and spouses, and some special guests from the community.

Awards were given out for Firefighter of the Year, Most Improved Firefighter, The 2005 All Star Team and two Community Volunteer of the Year awards.

Firefighter of the Year 2005 - Firefighter/EMT/Commissioner Leonard Pielli

The Fire District No. 3 Firefighter of the Year award was presented to firefighter and EMT Leonard Pielli. Pielli also serves the district as a commissioner and public education coordinator. He was very instrumental in hosting and delivering fire public education workshops. He is a regular responder and takes on many tasks to improve the fire district, Chief Mark Havener said.

The most improved award went to Training Officer Dean Keck. Keck has been the district’s training officer for the past year and makes the training program successful, Havener said. Keck is a regular responder and provides a great example to the volunteers at Fire District No. 3, the chief said.

The All Star Team for 2005 includes Firefighters Dean Keck, Randy Pymm, Larry Eldridge and Medical Captain Buck Cole. “All of these members put forth that little extra effort to make Fire District No. 3 as successful as we are,” Havener said.

The community volunteer awards were given to Evelyn and Jimmy Johnson.

Community Volunteer of the Year Award Recipients (L-R) Evelyn and Jimmy Johnson - Beryl Pielli

They volunteer their time to assist the fire district with its Web site development and upkeep, and were instrumental in the development of our public education programs. Evelyn has written grants for the fire district and has recently completed a complete risk analysis for the fire district. The second Community volunteer award was presented to Beryl Pielli. Beryl serves as the district secretary and historian. She is very active in the fire auxiliary as well.

Havener said Fire District No. 3 would like to thank all of those that made the event very successful. Firefighter and EMT Alex Arnold organized the event and was master of ceremonies; Keck prepared a video production of the year’s events and Dwayne Ainsworth and Buck Cole prepared steaks for the meal.

Questions about how to become a member of the fire district can be directed to the office at 509-447-5305 or visit their Web site at www.pofd3.org for additional information on the fire district and its offerings. RETURN TO TOP

Last week, Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 volunteers held a brief fire safety education event in conjunction with the Royal Rangers at The New Testament Church on Hwy 2. The firefighters delivered a fire safety message and did a show and tell with one of the district's fire engines. The members handed out fire safety brochures on Exit Drills in The Home (EDITH), smoke-detector information, and coloring books to the younger members of the church. Firefighters Harry Egland, Larry Eldridge, and Lt. Dave Ainsworth all assisted in the delivery. To have the district visit your group or meeting, to learn more about the fire district or to host a fire safety event, contact Fire Chief Mark Havener at the Diamond Lake Station at 509-447-5305 or via e-mail at mark@pofd3.org. RETURN TO TOP

DIAMOND LAKE-- Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3, in an ongoing effort to provide realistic and timely training for its members and partners throughout the county, is looking for a structure to set fires in. "This type of training is the most realistic when it comes to training our fire service members for fire attack and rescue," fire chief Mark Havener said. The district will use the structure for the firefighter training and conduct live burn training for volunteers. The district will provide training to members in water supply, fire attack, and search and rescue in fire building. If you have a structure you would like destroyed at no or minimal cost, contact Havener at the Diamond Lake station at 509-447-5305 or via e-mail at mark@pofd3.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

	Fire District No. 3 News 2006
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