The Mountain-Ear
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| Timberline saves house, gets new truck |
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| Written by administrator | |
| Friday, 15 May 2009 | |
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Barbara Lawlor GILPIN COUNTY Last Friday, Timberline Fire Authority firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire on Colorado 72 and arrived in time to douse the flames and keep the fire from spreading throughout the house. TFA Co-Chief Richard Bulich says that when the High Country Station 4 firefighters got on the scene, there were flames about to jump into the curtains and bedding. “Contents of a bedroom were on fire, and we got there quick enough to prevent it from spreading. The fire started from a heat lamp that was being used to keep a gecko warm, and a pile of laundry caught fire and the flames spread to the carpet. We were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to the drapes, wall and bed; within a few more minutes the entire bedroom would have been on fire. We had 10 Timberline firefighters respond during the day, having to climb up a very long and steep driveway on foot, wearing self-contained breathing apparatus.” Because the firefighters arrived swiftly, the fire was put out without adding water damage to the smoke damage. Chief Bulich says he is proud of the responses that TFA has had this year and that joint High Country and Colorado Sierra trainings are paying off, reducing response time since the authority was formed. It is always important to have the right tools for the job, and Bulich is eager to introduce the department’s new tender to the community. Last week HCFPD firefighters Jake Vassar and Jim Crawford went to Nesquehoning, PA, to inspect the tender that the department had ordered. This vehicle is the fourth addition to the fleet of trucks that will be providing state of the art, National Fire Protection Association-compliant equipment, and ultimately replace the fleet of outdated High Country trucks. The new tender will carry 3000 gallons of water, which will be critical during this summer’s high fire danger season, and is another step toward improving the TFA ISO rating. The yellow/orange giant comes with a long list of fire-fighting attributes, including the 3,000-gallon tank, a 1000-gallons-per-minute pump, and all-wheel drive capability. It was built by Kovatch Mobile Equipment in Pennsylvania. Vassar was chosen to check out the truck because he is a professional mechanic with a new car dealership in Boulder and has been a member of the department for three years. Crawford retired from the federal government and has also been with High Country for three years, first as a board member and now as a firefighter. Both Jake and Jim are certified firefighters and EMTs. This truck was ordered in September, 2008, and will be delivered at the end of the week. The department expects to have the truck in service by the end of June. The local KME salesman, Dave Bishop, accompanied the firefighters and was part of the inspection. The new tender will replace the 1980 International 1,250 gallon tender currently in service at the High Country station on Highway 46, increasing the department’s ability to transport water. Co-chief Bulich says, “As there is no municipal water supply in the district, the ability to transport large quantities of water is critical to fighting fires in the district. Currently, the largest tender in the district is 1,600 gallons and is located at Station 2, south of Rollinsville.” Improving the status of the fire and emergency apparatus in the district has been a priority in the past seven months, since the authority was formed and the two fire departments began to work on a merger. In November, the department purchased an initial response vehicle that was built on a 2008 GMC chassis by Boise Mobile Equipment, replacing the 1974 brush truck at Station 1 on Highway 72 in Pinecliffe. In December, the department purchased a used 2001 KME Urban Interface Engine for service at Station 4 on Magnolia Road. This truck replaces a 1980 International initial attack vehicle. In March, the department bought a 2003 Smeal Urban Interface pumper from Thornton, Colorado. This truck is currently being equipped and will go in service as Engine 2 at Station 2 off Highway 119 south of Rollinsville. For years, that station had been using a 1994 GMC 1,600 gallon tender as an engine. The new truck will allow the old one to be used as a tender, and will provide a Class A engine for that station. By buying the two used pumpers, the department was able to improve the apparatus at two stations for what it would cost for one new basic pumper. This also helps alleviate a problem in the future as all of the trucks would not come up for replacement at the same time. With the money saved, says Bulich, the department will look at the priorities within the district to plan the next apparatus replacement. “The department still has several very old trucks that need to be considered for replacement.” TFA plans to have these new trucks on display at the upcoming Gilpin County Flea Market on June 5 and 6. The High Country Auxiliary will be collecting used items to sell at the flea market to help raise money for the department. The department encourages the community to support the auxiliary by both donating items for the flea market and buying some of the bargains that are to be had. This is a major fundraiser for the department and is an opportunity for area residents to rid their property and homes of unwanted goods that others might like. It will also be an opportunity to find out more about joining the department and becoming part of the firefighting family that keeps our mountain areas safe. “It takes the whole community to make the district work,” says Bulich. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 May 2009 ) |
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