Boone County Fire Protection donates two fire tankers to rural fire districts
COLUBMIA MO. (KMIZ)
The Boone County Fire Protection District transferred ownership of two fire tankers to the Van-Far and Northwest Fire Protection District.
The districts will each receive one 2000-model Pierce Freightliner that are designed to transport large quantities of water and operate as pumping units for firefighting activities.
The two Tanker's were recently taken out of service after 25-years serving Boone County Residents. The donations come as the district continues its ongoing equipment replacement program.
Boone County Fire Protection District Chief Doug Westhoff said it is a blessing to be in a position to be able to donate the tankers.
"We are in a position where we can offer this kind of assistance for other organizations that are starting up or have needs in the state of Missouri."
The Boone County Fire Protection District said that the rural districts did not ask for a donation, and were prepared to pay around $5,000 for the vehicle's. Westoff said the department then talked with their board of directors decided that the neighborly thing to make a donation to the districts.
"If the department were to sell the tankers on the open market would not be near the benefit that the communities are going to see." Westhoff said.
The tankers are being donated at a time when purchasing new fire engines has become increasingly expensive and a logistical challenge.
According to the International Association of Firefighters three fire manufactures now control 70% of the U.S. production market. This has now led to prices rising in cost and longer wait times for delivery of new vehicles.
George Creamer, Fire Chief for the Northwest Fire Protection District said the donation could not have come at a better time.
"Today is a great day. We are incredibly grateful to the Boone County Fire District, to donate something like this that we could not afford on our own." Kramer said.
He said that the cost of a brand new tanker is upwards of one million dollars and would take three to four years to receive, that is time and money that the district does not have.
Brandon Straube, Fire Chief for the Van-Far Fire Protection District said the donation is ciritical to their departments operations.
"The demand for this apparatus is very critical as we don't have fire hydrants in the rural parts of our communities, so we rely on these tankers to haul water to the fires" Straube said.
He said with that with the new tanker, the department now has an additional 1,500 gallons of water on wheels to help with fighting fires in the area.
Straube said with the donation of the new tanker, it now frees up funds that can be used in other areas of the department.
"The donation frees up funding that can come down the road to replace other critical infrastructure in the district, and it allows us to put an apparatus that's much needed in service right away." Straube said.
Both departments say that they beleive the tankers will be put into service as soon as next week.
