U.S. Wildland Fire Service Donates 3,000-Gallon Water Tender to Winifred Fire Department

WINIFRED, Mont. – Firefighters from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service based in Lewistown, Montana, handed over the keys of a 3,000-gallon Freightliner water tender to the Winifred Rural Fire Department on Wednesday, July 1.

The water tender was transferred under the USWFS’ Rural Fire Readiness Program, which provides equipment to qualifying fire departments that partner with the USWFS and assist fighting fires on public lands. In the program, local departments apply to receive USWFS firefighting equipment declared surplus when the USWFS purchases new equipment.

The rugged 2004 tender’s large-capacity water tank is designed to draft water from a source such as a pond, stream, or hydrant and haul it to fire engines working on active firelines.

“The Rural Fire Readiness Program enables us to donate equipment that has reached the federal government’s maximum hours for regular constant use,” said Josh Barta, U.S. Wildland Fire Service, Northern Rockies Unit 6 fire chief. “However, a volunteer fire department can still get a lot of good years out of it, and because we often work together on local fires, their increased equipment capability ultimately helps us, too.” 

The donated water tender will help the Winifred Rural Fire Department fire district continue to provide wildland fire response to rural communities and lands throughout Fergus County and nearby areas.