Fire department celebrates new engine at pancake breakfast
The Plumas Eureka Community Auxiliary held its Labor Day Weekend Pancake Breakfast at the Plumas Eureka Fire Department at 200 Lundy Lane in Blairsden.
On display was a new engine, and a sign reading: “This Fire Engine Was Purchased Through Your Generous Donations and Support, Along with Thousands of Pancakes. Thank You for Your Outstanding Support. -PECAUX.”
The Plumas Eureka Community Auxiliary is a nonprofit organization created to support the volunteer fire department. For the past 25 years, the Auxiliary has hosted a pancake breakfast fundraiser each Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. All proceeds go to assist the Plumas Eureka Volunteer Fire Department.
This year, when approached by Fire Chief John Sea regarding the need to replace one of the department’s engines, the Auxiliary sprang into action, offering the fire department a donation of $20,0000, half the $40,000 of the cost.
The Auxiliary and its board: President Cheryl Shewmake, Vice President Muriel Aman, Secretary Jenni McGuire, Treasurer Kim Train, Corresponding Secretaries Larry Walker and Linda Reason, and Founding Member Doris Olsen have been instrumental in helping enhance the capabilities of the department by directly purchasing and donating equipment.
The $20,000 for the engine was the largest donation in the department’s history.
The engine, a 2000 HME Weststates model, will be a welcome enhancement to the PEFD fleet. Chief Sea stated that “This (HME) engine is a type I (structure fire) engine – meaning it has structure firefighting capabilities. It also can and has been utilized as a Type 3 (wildland fire) engine … essentially two engines in one.”
The chief also explained that the engine was in excellent condition and well cared for by the Ventura County Fire Department, its previous operators.
The engine was owned by the California Office of Emergency Services and provided to Ventura County as part of the State Mutual Aid Program. Rural volunteer fire departments are eligible to purchase the used engines from OES at a steep discount under the State Assistance for Fire Equipment Act, the S.A.F.E. Program.
The new addition replaces a 32-year-old engine which PEFD offered to the Sierra Valley Volunteer Fire Department. The donation was graciously accepted by Chief Vicki Anderson and Captain Robert Holbrook.
