News Release Archive

Reclamation and Washington Towns Sign New Fire Agreements

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, jredding@pn.usbr.gov
Lynne Brougher, lbrougher@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: January 15, 2008

The Bureau of Reclamation and several towns around Grand Coulee, Wash., have signed contracts and agreements to ensure adequate fire protection coverage both at Grand Coulee Dam and in the surrounding areas over a five-year period.

Prior firefighting agreements that outlined mutual support expired last year. This resulted in a need to develop new contracts that specify the type of training and equipment required of each town to be adequately prepared to assist in fighting high hazard structural fires which might occur on Reclamation property.

The new agreements and contracts were formed with the assistance from the Fire Protection Working Group. Members of the working group include: Mark Payne, Electric City; Robert Jackson and Ben Alling, Coulee Dam; Dean McPherson and Ryan Fish, Grand Coulee; and Dale Carriere and Caroline Walsh with Reclamation.

"This group did a tremendous job of putting together the contracts and agreements. We are very pleased to have these in place which benefit both Reclamation and the towns," said David Murillo, Project Manager for Grand Coulee.

Reclamation and the towns of Coulee Dam, Grand Coulee, and Electric City have each signed contracts which allow the towns to assist Reclamation in providing fire protection services when fires occur in high hazard areas throughout the Grand Coulee Project.

Under these service agreements, the towns are contracted by Reclamation for $27,000 each year, with a built in 5 percent cost of living increase for the subsequent four years. Reclamation will provide training for the high hazard areas and the towns will be able to acquire the specialized gear needed to fight such fires.

Reclamation and the towns of Coulee Dam and Electric City also signed Cooperative Fire Protection Agreements which are mutual aide agreements. Reclamation anticipates receiving a signed copy from the City of Grand Coulee in the near future. These agreements allow Reclamation to assist the towns with firefighting when requested. In return, the towns will be able to assist Reclamation with non-structural fires when needed.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.