(The Center Square) – The Oregon State Fire Marshal made its first deliveries of new water tenders to the Oregon fire service from the agency’s Engine Program this week. The vehicles transport large amounts of water to wildfire front lines.
“These initial deliveries mark a significant milestone in the state’s ongoing efforts to enhance firefighting capabilities and protect communities from the growing wildfire crisis,” a press release from the Oregon State Fire Marshal said.
OSFM delivered the first three water tenders to the Amity Fire District, Winston-Dillard Fire District, and Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District. The three tenders are the first of 30 that OSFM will distribute statewide.
The state fire marshal bought 76 apparatus for the OSFM Engine Program; these purchases included 26 Type 3 engines, 20 Type 6 engines, and 30 water tenders. All of these are diesel engines, according to the state’s website.
The state did not by hybrid electric-diesel vehicles that have been misleadingly marketed as “all electric” or “zero emissions” elsewhere.
So far, eight type 3 engines have been delivered. More deliveries, including deliveries of water tenders and type 6 engines, will happen this summer, the release said.
“We are thrilled to see the first of these new water tenders delivered to our fire districts,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “This program represents a significant investment in the safety of our communities and the effectiveness of our firefighting efforts.”
Senate Bill 762 from 2021 funded the OSFM Engine Program.
“The goal is to modernize equipment within the Oregon structural fire service, ensuring local fire agencies have the necessary tools to effectively combat wildfires and protect lives and property,” the release said.
More information on the OSFM’s Engine Program and its efforts to improve wildfire response is available here.