Indian Valley Fire station receives generous donations from Truckee Meadows, Loyalton
by Meg Upton
The vote was unanimous at the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District board meeting on Sept.7. Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District transferred a fully equipped engine to Indian Valley Fire Department. They drove it down to the remains of the fire station in downtown Greenville to deliver the gift in person.
The whole thing was the idea of Truckee Meadows FP District Captain Shawn Heywood, who is also the Loyalton Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief. His Loyalton crew had many ties to Plumas County and all wanted to do something as well. Heywood brought his idea to his fire chief at TMFPD, Charlie Moore, who embraced the idea. Heywood’s ties to both departments forged the efforts to give to Greenville.
“Loyalton felt we should do something, We had excess equipment and we needed to clean out the surplus,” said Heywood. Heywood said that many in the Loyalton and Truckee Meadows departments have strong ties to Plumas County.
Along with the engine, Indian Valley Fire Department received a full truck and trailer load of equipment. The new engine and future new fire station have a full stock of equipment now.
Acting Indian Valley Fire Chief Bob Orange attended the meeting in Reno when the philanthropy was approved.
“They could not have been any nicer. Good people,” said Orange. He related that many of the firefighters present at that meeting had ties to Plumas County.
“They related how many of them and their constituents visit Plumas County—so much so [that] they consider us as part of their community regardless of the state line and want to help us,” said Orange.
The Truckee Meadows District board asked their fire department to help replace equipment lost to the Dixie Fire. The two fire departments took Wednesday to fill up a trailer with equipment to send along with the engine.
The Indian Valley Fire Department not only receives an engine but the TMFPD-outfitted the vehicle.
“They did a great job in outfitting the engine. It has seven composite SCBAs, generators, jaws of life, a full complement of hose, nozzles and more,” said Orange.
While the engine is 26 years old, it only has 21,000 miles on it. It is a four-wheel drive and holds 1,250 gallons of water, and pumps that same amount per minute.
“There is not a dent or scratch on it and I am sure they waxed and polished it the day before,” said Orange.
Members of all three departments and IVCSD board members were present in Greenville at the site of the old fire station and Greenville Town Hall on Thursday morning. Orange pointed out various parts of the building structure and the engine that burned inside to the members of Truckee Meadows and Loyalton. He inspected the new engine with a few members of the Indian Valley Fire Department.
“It’s pretty humbling in how they care and are helping us,” said Orange, the new acting fire chief.
Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District includes all areas of Washoe County outside of Reno.
Indian Valley Fire Department will be storing the new equipment and engine in Taylorsville while the new fire station is being built in Greenville at its new location on Hwy 89 across the street from Standart Mine Road.
The site of the fire station in Greenville where one of the engines burned inside. Photo by Meg Upton
Captain Shawn Heywood (center) views the wreckage while acting fire chief Bob Orange speaks to the assembled fire fighters. Photo by Meg Upton
