OSO The firefighters in Oso have been pretty excited lately. After six years of fundraising they got a new tender truck for hauling water. The truck cost $147,000 not including sales tax, and $26,000 of that was raised through local fundraisers and donations.
Save, save, save, was the strategy, according to fire commissioner A.D. Klesick.
With about 20 volunteer firefighters, Oso Fire District No. 25 owns one aid car, two engines, a rescue vehicle and now this new tender truck to haul water.
Fire chief Sandy Baker agreed.
We started saving more than five years ago, Baker said. They stashed funds from grants and government sources as well as holding barbecues and rummage sales. They had another significant boost when the funds they had stashed for the new 800 mh call system was transferred to the tender fund after a grant paid for the call system.
H&W Emergency Vehicles in Oregon built the truck.
The new tender can haul 3,000 gallons of water, 500 more than the old one.
More importantly, the new truck is able to move faster than the old one, which was built by a former Oso fire chief, John Hillis in the mid-1980s.
This one is safer and faster, said firefigher Gene Lane. It draws water a lot faster, too.
We couldnt have done it without the support of the community, Baker said.
We wont be taking on any more big projects soon, she said, adding that it was a bit stressful toward the end.
Everyone was really chomping at the bit, she said. Whens the truck gonna get here, Wheres the tender? they kept asking, she laughed.