BRINNON — The Brinnon Fire Department is better prepared to respond to emergencies now that new vehicles and rescue extraction equipment funded by a 2019 voter-approved bond have been delivered, according to its chief.
The last of the vehicles was delivered the week of May 17. All the orders were placed in late 2019 and early 2020 but were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, said Tim Manly, fire chief.
The Brinnon community approved a $1.2 million bond in 2019 — with 71 percent of voters in favor — to fund the acquisitions of the vehicles and equipment.
The new vehicles include a 1,500 gallon pumper tender, a 2,500 gallon pumper tender, a 4500 Dodge Ram aid car (ambulance), a Toyota Tundra command vehicle and a Ford F-550 rescue vehicle, all manufactured in 2020, Manly said Thursday.
In addition, four new automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), battery-powered extrication tools and other firefighting equipment have been purchased.
The 1,500 gallon and 2,500 gallon pumper tenders are full fire engines as well as water pumpers, serving two roles in one, with large water tank capacities, he added.
The department’s old engines were class 1 pumpers that held only 750 gallons of water each. Those were designed for cities with fire hydrants on every corner, Manly said.
The new engines carry twice to more than three times that amount of water, allowing firefighters to have longer continuous streams of water to put out and cool fires, which is crucial in the more rural and remote areas around Brinnon, he said.
“We don’t have fire hydrants on every corner, so we have to bring water with us,” he said.
The former engines were built in 1986 and were at their end of life, needing constant costly repairs. The other vehicles were also in need of replacement; the former aid vehicle, from 2009, was the newest.
“Everything was past its useful life,” Manly said. “It wasn’t cost effective anymore to repair them to get them to pass their inspections.”
Manly — who was hired as the part-time chief in May 2016 before becoming the full-time chief in July 2019 — said one of his biggest concerns was that aging vehicles would fail when the department relied upon them.
“When I first became chief here, if there was anything that kept me up at night, it was the reliability of our vehicles and being able to effectively do our jobs,” he said. “I sleep very well now with what we have.
“Obviously we’ve moved into the 21st century now, and we’re able to do our jobs effectively.”
Manly is grateful to the community for approving and paying for the new vehicles and equipment through the 10-year bond.
“This vital equipment helps us quickly treat your loved ones or, if we ever respond to your home for a fire, to begin and effectively extinguish the fire,” he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
“I also want to recognize and express my gratitude for our men and women of the Brinnon Fire Department and our elected officials. As is the case with our outstanding community support, none of these great things happen without (them).”
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
