By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
Spokane County Fire District 3 was awarded a $5,000 grant on Aug. 18 from natural gas pipeline company Trans Canada as part of their Community Investment Program.
Fire District 3 Fire Chief Bruce Holloway said the grant would be used to help fund the building of a rehab vehicle for the district. The vehicle will provide firefighters a safe and comfortable place to rest, eat, and clean up a bit while working for extended periods on fire lines.
Holloway said the district has the vehicle right now, and are in the process of putting it into their production schedule while finishing up retrofitting of other vehicles.
Trans Canada is also working with local districts to promote the national “Call 811” program. The program was implemented by Congress, and pushed by national contractor associations, to collect all of the various “Call Before You Dig” community information centers together under one, easy-to-remember contact point.
The “Call Before You Dig” contacts are important in making sure underground transmission lines for gas and power are not damaged when contractors or private individuals begin digging as part of construction, potentially resulting in serious injury. Trans Canada community relations supervisor Terry Wolverton said that because there were so many different numbers throughout the country for “Call Before You Dig,” Congress felt one central contact was needed.
“In any part of the country, now you can dial 811 and get your local ‘Call Before You Dig'” site,” he said. “Just one call.”
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected]
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