The Watch Lake - North Green Lake Volunteer Fire Department (WLNGLVFD) recently welcomed a new addition to its fleet of emergency vehicles.
The vehicle, a 2006 Freightliner with an inline six-cylinder Mercedes Benz engine, has a 1,700-gallon tank, and the crew has now mounted a three-way dump valve to the rear to facilitate rapid filling and emptying of water. After adding emergency lights, radio, lettering and equipment lockers, it was ready to enter service.
Association president Roy Allan says the unit will replace one of the much older trucks that are becoming very expensive for the WLNGLVFD to maintain.
It has a larger capacity than the older tenders and can be filled, emptied and make the return trip from water to fire and back much more quickly, he adds.
“Even though most of our residents live close to lakeshores, there is always a problem in getting enough water from the lake to a fire. In addition, we must continually search for ways to upgrade our fleet in order to attain the standards set by the insurance underwriters."
Allan adds the WLNGLVFD is grateful for the financial assistance provided by the partial funding from a BCLC gaming grant, a very generous donation by the fire department's Auxiliary and a $5,000 grant from the Cariboo Regional District through the local area Director Bruce Rattray.
The WLNGLVFD operates entirely on the annual fire dues paid by the area property owners, and any new equipment must be funded from other sources.