Tender 31A Rebuild Project


Ready for Rebuild	Chassis Stripped of Former Garbage Unit	After Three Power Washing Sessions

After Three Power Washing Sessions	Preparing the Frame for Paint	Grinding Down Rust Spots

Priming the Frame for Paint	Getting Closer to Paint Time	"Yep, it sure is a big truck...think we are going to need more paint."

Setting Up the First Patch Panel	Joe's going at it with the welder.	Mockup of Fender Brackets to clear Tank

Chief's Custom Fuel Tank Hangers	Almost Ready to Paint	"Hole...what hole?"

One Big White Tank	"It's shinny and black."	Assembly and Paint

Hose Reel Mock Up	"It's shinny and new."	New Paint

Water Tank Arrival	Ready to Mount	Tanker Taking Shape

Adding Hose and Equipment	Wildfire Suppression Door Insignia	Water Outlet Pipe Installation Complete

Rebuild Complete	Ready for Service

Photos by Former Firefighter Joseph Graywolf, Chief Mark Havener, and Webmaster Evelyn Johnson

Project Overview

"Mix together three months of labor, a team of volunteer fire fighters, a fire chief with a vision, a 3,300 gallon water tank, three water chutes, front spray bars. Add an $18,245 grant from Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildland Fire Assistance Program through the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Top with a donated electric hose reel and any old garbage truck can be an efficient tender specific for wildland suppression.

In March of 2004 DNR located a surplus 1986 Volvo white cab dumpster hauler at a navy base. Through the Federal Excess Personal Property Program managed by the USFS, and DNR was able to loan the truck to Pend Oreille District 3. The reconstruction process began in August and three months later the garbage truck had been converted into a water tender and was ready for a fire. DNR and USFS provided a grant of $18,245 to the fire district to improve fire suppression in the Diamond Lake, Sacheen Lake and Deer Valley Communities. The current population protected in this district is around 3,900 people, covering a rural area of 100 square miles.

Volunteers Harry Egland, Randy Pymm, Joseph Graywolf, Gary Wilkey, Hughes Crumpler, Kyle and Paul James, Brandon Bauman, and Chief Mark Havener did the necessary research and labor, as well as acquiring the tools and equipment to make this conversion a feasible project.

Fire District No. 3 found the need for the converted tender a high priority in order to better serve their community and surrounding areas. They plan to make the new tender available to assist the DNR and the U.S. Forest Service. The Wildland Fire Assistance Grant was matched by an apparatus reserve fund that the volunteers raised and the commission set aside in past years, as well as return profit from the sale of the garbage handler bodywork, not to mention volunteer labor that was committed by the volunteers and chief of district three. It may have been a truck made for garbage but it is now a treasured member of Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3."

Written by:
Marissa Wilkie, Communications Specialist, Washington Department of Natural Resources

FIRE DISTRICT NO. 3 TENDER 31A REBUILD PROJECT TEAM

Fire District No. 3 Chief Mark Havener Pend Oreille County	Former Firefighter Joseph Graywolf Diamond Lake Station	Firefighter Hughes Crumpler Deer Valley Rd Station

Firefighter Harry Egland Diamond Lake Station	Firefighter Paul James Sacheen Lake Station	Junior Firefighter Kyle James Sacheen Lake Station

Firefighter Randy Pymm Sacheen Lake Station	Commissioner/Firefighter Gary Wilkey Sacheen Lake Station	Firefighter Larry Eldridge Diamond Lake Station

Firefighter/Training Officer Dean Keck Diamond Lake Station

509-447-5305

Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3

325272 Hwy. 2

Newport, WA 99156

PHOTO ALBUM