During its Monday, Aug. 12, meeting, the Chehalis City Council unanimously approved an ordinance accepting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant program funding awarded to the Chehalis Fire Department.
The ordinance is now awaiting approval on its second and final reading at the next Chehalis City Council meeting scheduled for Aug. 26.
FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program aims to provide financial assistance to fire departments and emergency medical services to pay for critically needed equipment, vehicles, protective gear, training and other resources to protect both the public and emergency responders, according to the council’s agenda report.
In total, the Chehalis Fire Department was awarded $202,933.00, with $193,269.52 coming from the FEMA grant program and an additional 5% match coming from the City of Chehalis to the tune of $9,663.48.
Chehalis Fire Chief Adam Fulbright said the department applies for this grant annually and had been denied when asking for funds to purchase a new ambulance over the past three years.
“This year, we put in for brand new hoses to upgrade all the hose packages on all of our engines and the ladder truck,” Fulbright said. “Most of our hose is severely outdated, which does have an impact on ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating.”
Most of the department's hoses are 20 years old or older, he added. With the department getting the FEMA grant this year, it can now afford to replace the outdated hoses on the fire engines and ladder truck along with purchasing a new defibrillator and heart monitor.
“Which we would also carry on the ambulance, and then have one on the engine so there’s no swapping equipment no matter what truck or vehicle is out there serving the community. We have the tools we need,” Fulbright added.
The cost of the new defibrillator is around $54,000, Fulbright said.
As for replacing the department’s ambulance, Fulbright applied for Washington state Treasurer’s Office Local Program financing to purchase it along with a new fire engine back in June.
Presently, the Chehalis Fire Department’s ambulance is a 2005 Ford North Star, which has had a lingering electrical issue after being remounted that sometimes causes it to fail to start.
Remounting an ambulance is a refurbishing process that involves removing an ambulance’s patient transport box and placing it on a new chassis to try to extend its service life.
The fire engine Fulbright is looking to replace is the oldest of the three the department has — a 1993 Western States Hale Pump engine — which had been inoperable since last November due to a malfunctioning brake system value that no mechanic had been able to find a replacement for. This engine was already slated to be replaced in 2026 as it has gone well past its expected service life of 20 years.
Additionally, mechanics the city has talked to have also refused to rebuild the brake system due to liability concerns.
Since applying, the state has approved the city to participate in its Local Program for financing.
“We were notified that the City of Chehalis has been approved to participate in future financing with the Local Program for an ambulance and fire engine,” Fulbright said in an email to The Chronicle.
“We are currently working out the detail on an ambulance. As for the fire engine, we will have some more discussion before a final decision is made on that.”
During the June meeting, it was declared the city would purchase the new ambulance from Braun Northwest and new fire engine from Rosenbauer.
