Oakesdale pumper truck on hold

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Jul 05, 20120

The Oakesdale fire department’s 1956 pumper truck may not be sent to surplus after all.

The fate of the International was discussed two weeks ago at the city council meeting as an item to be surplused. Monday night, Mayor Dennis Palmer reported they may need to change course.

“If we get rid of this, we’ll only have one pumper on the fleet,” he said. “That’s a no-no, you’ve got to have a backup.”

The Mayor went on to say that, without a backup pumper, Oakesdale’s rating would change, which would hike insurance costs for homeowners and commercial property.

“Just because they’re running out of room there is not a reason to get rid of it,” said Palmer. “I think before we ever get rid of it, our fire department needs to get another pumper.”

Discussion ensued regarding pumpers and tanker trucks and what is required by the Washington State Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSSRB).

A fire department’s rating is based on factors such as the size of the area it covers, the equipment, the number and location of fire hydrants and the area’s 911 dispatch system.

“I will talk with (Fire Chief) George Dewan, and see if we can’t get a meeting with the rating bureau,” said Palmer.

Oakesdale’s rating puts them in Class 8, according to David Bruell, Vice President of WSSRB.

“One single truck may affect the grade of a community,” said Bruell. “But with so many factors to look at, it may not actually change the grading.”

Bruell indicated that Oakesdale’s Class 8 rating is common for rural departments of its size. Roughly 50 percent of Washington’s fire departments are rated class 1-5, while 50 percent are rated 7-10.