Fire districts to join in training

Fire District No. 3 extends north and west of White Salmon and includes Snowden, BZ and Husum, where it is headquartered.

The planned joint training results from a study done earlier this year by Fire Service representatives from outside both departments.

The study recommended a more focused and cohesive approach to fire department training. While the combined training will currently involve only White Salmon and Fire Dist. 3 personnel it is hoped that the Bingen Fire Department will soon participate.

Two fire chiefs from Snohomish County interviewed individuals involved with White Salmon, Bingen and "Husum" fire departments and made suggestions regarding improving fire protection in the White Salmon area.

Among the recommendations was intensification of training with increased emphasis on NFPA standards for course work and certification.

While the intensified training will put further demands on volunteers, Mayor Dave Poucher expects the overall effect to be very positive, noting "the unified training will energize both departments."

A professional "Training Officer" will be hired to plan and execute weekly drills according to criteria established by Mayor Poucher and and Fire District No. 3 Commissioner Charles Virts.

Once hired, the training officer will report immediately to Fire District #3 Chief Jerry Jones with a dotted line to Mayor Poucher. The training officer will also command fire crews when necessary.

Last week, the training officer position was announced in local papers. According to Chief Jones, several strong candidates have already responded. Chiefs Bill Hunsaker and Jones would like to have the training officer at work by September.

Interested candidates should contact Chief Jones at 493-2996 to obtain an application packet.

The training officer's salary and benefits will come from money that Fire District No. 3 would have paid White Salmon for first response protection in that part of Fire District No. 3 immediately adjacent White Salmon.

As recently as last winter the plan was for Fire District No. 3 to purchase an engine for use by White Salmon.

Equipment availability and coverage has actually been increased through the efforts of Chiefs Jones, Hunsaker and Pratt, from the Bingen Fire Dept., who have jointly agreed to change the way emergencies are dispatched not only in the urban growth area, but throughout their respective jurisdictions.

Now when an emergency is dispatched it goes out to multiple fire departments rather than just to the department within whose jurisdiction the emergency has occurred. This has resulted in more people and equipment being dispatched to emergency calls throughout the Bingen, White Salmon, Fire Dist. 3 areas.

Chief Hunsaker summed it up well when he stated "the best use of the money is for training. Training will have a greater impact on our effectiveness than equipment."