Oyen Fire Department receives donation

By Joan Janzen

The Oyen Fire Department was grateful to be the recipients of a $15,000 donation from Richardson Pioneer, who have made previous donations to the community. This donation will go towards a new Wildland Fire truck.

A Wildland fire truck is a fire engine specifically designed to assist in fighting wildfires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment.

Paul Lijdsman, Fire Chief for Oyen, said, “We needed something for a quicker response truck that’s more agile for terrain. The trucks we have now are quite large.” The wildland truck is a F550.

“Normally our fire trucks are purchased by our Special Areas or the Town of Oyen. Our fire department has been fundraising for a fire truck,” Lijdsman explained. “We’ve been having ball tournaments, New Years socials and a casino. We’re purchasing this truck mostly through the fire department, and the Town of Oyen will be picking up the difference. The interesting thing is, even though the Town is paying the difference, this is more of a Special Areas truck than a town truck.”

He said the fire truck which the fire department currently uses is owned by Special Areas. “We’re sharing the truck with Special Areas,” he said. “That’s why the town is involved in purchasing the Wildland truck.” The Town of Oyen will be able to use the Wildland truck for grass fires, or possibly for responding to vehicle accidents.

The truck is on order. “We sat down with the people who build the truck and in the next couple of months they’ll be able to give us a definite delivery date,” he said. The twenty-member Oyen fire department is anticipating the truck will arrive within a year’s time.