The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Fire district gets big hand from grants

Wahkiakum Fire District No. 4 (WCFD 4) has recently been notified that they are being awarded a 2009 Rural Fire Assistance (RFA) grant for the amount of $11,335. The grant will be used to purchase radio equipment, portable water pumps, and personal protective clothing. The RFA is a Department of Interior (DOI) grant opportunity available to fire districts that serve areas of less than 10,000 people and that border DOI lands, in this case the US Fish and Wildlife Julia Butler Hansen Refuge.

This is the second RFA grant that WCFD 4 has received. In 2006, they were awarded $4200 for a firefighting foam system.

Over the last several years WCFD 4 has been very successful in obtaining grants from a variety of sources for an even wider variety of vehicles, tolls, protective equipment and training materials.

In 2004, 2005 and 2006, WCFD4 received Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFGs): $59,730 for the purchase of new firefighter airpacks called SCBAs; new structure and wildland firefighting personal protective equipment in the amount of $47,880; and $42,990 for a new fire hose, rescue equipment and fire pagers.

In 2006, they received Volunteer Firefighter Assistance Program and Federal Excess Property Program awards that were used in conjunction to place a $100,000 Fire Pumper into service.

In August, WCFD 4 received a Federal Property Program five ton 6x6 that will be utilized immediately at the Beaver Creek closure and will also be utilized this winter for flood support. This vehicle has a current value of $71,000.

In all, WCFD 4 has received over $335,000 in grant funds and goods since 2004. In comparison, WCFD 4's average yearly tax revenue has been approximately $55,000 during those years.

The fire district is a 22 member, all volunteer department that provides services to Eastern Wahkiakum County including the Elochoman Valley, Rosedale, Cape Horn and all other residences not within city limits east to the County line and west to Brooks Slough Road. They also respond with the DNR onto forestlands and US Fish and Wildlife on the refuge.