Merrill Gets 800-Gallon Wildland Fire Engine Through Federal Program
The 2004 Type 4 engine will support local fire response and supply water to crews working active firelines.
AT A GLANCE
Recipient: Merrill Rural Fire Protection District
Equipment: 2004 Type 4 wildland fire engine
Water capacity: 800 gallons
Program: U.S. Wildland Fire Service Rural Fire Readiness Program
Capabilities: Drafting water, supplying engines on active firelines, and supporting local suppression
Cost: Equipment is provided to qualifying partner departments at no cost
MERRILL, Ore. — A wildland fire engine that has reached the end of its federal service life is getting a second assignment in southern Klamath County.
The Merrill Rural Fire Protection District has received a 2004 Type 4 engine through the U.S. Wildland Fire Service’s Rural Fire Readiness Program, adding an 800-gallon water-carrying resource to the district’s fleet.
While the engine is no longer being used for federal service, fire officials say it still has plenty of useful life remaining for local and cooperative wildfire response.
Its 800-gallon tank can be filled from hydrants or draft water from sources such as ponds and streams, allowing the engine to move water to crews working on active firelines.
That capability can be especially valuable in rural areas where firefighters may be operating far from municipal water systems or established hydrants.
The engine can also support Merrill crews during local fire suppression operations in and around the community.
Engine Transfer: Representatives from the Merrill Rural Fire Protection District and U.S. Wildland Fire Service stand with the 2004 Type 4 engine transferred to the district through the Rural Fire Readiness Program. U.S. Wildland Fire Service.
The transfer was made through the Rural Fire Readiness Program, which provides qualifying rural fire departments with firefighting equipment and training at no cost.
To participate, departments must already work with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, serve a rural community, respond to wildland fires, and be positioned to assist with fires on nearby public lands when needed.
Equipment distributed through the program can include wildland engines, water tenders, radios, pumps, hose, chainsaws, hand tools, personal protective equipment, and fire shelters.
The program is designed to extend the useful life of federal firefighting equipment while strengthening the capabilities of local departments that frequently provide the first response to wildfires in rural areas.
For Merrill, the newly transferred engine adds both water capacity and another apparatus that can be deployed during local incidents or cooperative wildland fire responses elsewhere in Klamath County.
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