BLM donates fire engine to Standish-Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department
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SUSANVILLE, Calif . – The Bureau of Land Management has transferred ownership of a wildland fire engine to the Standish-Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department, a small Lassen County department often called upon to assist the BLM with wildfires on public lands near small communities.
BLM Eagle Lake Field Office Manager Emily Ryan said transfer of the surplus engine boosts the capability of the rural department and the BLM, which relies on support from local fire departments when battling wildfires threatening natural resources and communities.
“We are happy to see that this engine will continue in service for years to come,” Ryan said. “This fire engine will improve Standish-Litchfield’s ability to support other agencies in fire suppression. We are pleased to be able to provide this vital piece of equipment.”
The fire engine was made available to the Standish-Litchfield volunteers under the BLM’s Rural Fire Readiness Program, which provides equipment to qualifying departments that cooperate with the BLM and assist with fire response on public lands. Under the program, local fire departments apply to receive BLM fire engines and other equipment that are declared surplus when newer equipment is purchased. Prior to the transfer, mechanics inspect the trucks and make any needed repairs, so they are fully operational and fire ready.
The engine being transferred to Standish-Litchfield is a 2007 crew cab unit. It is a high clearance, four-wheel-drive truck that can handle difficult off-road terrain. It has a 500-gallon water tank and a pump rated at 250 gallons per minute. It can pump water from its onboard tank or draft from water sources. The engine was based at the BLM Susanville Fire Station for most of its service with the BLM and was also dispatched to fires across the West and throughout the state of California, working closely with local, state and federal fire departments.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.