Town officials, the rural fire protection district, and members of the Oliver Fire Department show off the new bucket truck that will support an elevated water supply. Lyonel Doherty photo
The next time Oliver firefighters need some elevation to battle a fire, they won’t have to borrow equipment.
That’s because the department recently put into service a bucket truck that it purchased from the Town.
Officials proudly showed off the new piece of equipment at the start of last week’s fire practice. It was also an opportunity to show off the fire hall’s expansion – a new truck bay to store equipment.
Ernie Rotheisler, chair of Oliver’s Rural Fire Protection District, said the expansion will allow the department to store everything in one location.
“I don’t like seeing equipment stored outside,” he said emphatically.
Rotheisler said everyone laughed when the fire hall was built 14 years ago because of its size – eight bays. But they’re not laughing now because the hall is full.
Rotheisler dedicated the expansion and new equipment to the late Joe Kirs and past members of the fire protection district.
Fire Chief Dan Skaros said the bucket truck (at a cost of approximately $20,000) certainly beats paying three-quarters of a million dollars for a new ladder truck. He noted the bucket truck will be great in fighting fires that require an attack from a higher elevation.
Deputy Fire Chief Bob Graham said the department needs an apparatus that can support an elevated water supply (a member stands in the bucket with a hose).
In the past, the fire department had to borrow this equipment from the Town and FortisBC.
Graham said the new bay is currently used to store the department’s parade truck and utility van. It also has room to store other equipment.
Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes commended the good working relationship between the town and the rural fire protection district.
“We are very blessed to have a fire department this highly skilled, and it makes sense to house all equipment in one location.”
Hovanes said the bucket truck is a worthy addition to the entire fleet, which also includes a new forestry truck. He noted the Town could have used the bucket truck at previous fires (the high school and Mesa Hotel) that required an elevated water supply.
