The new fire tanker has already drawn attention, here from families attending the Easter egg hunt at Grant Union Junior-Senior High School.

JOHN DAY – Rural firefighters in the John Day area have a new tool – at least new to them – in their arsenal for battling blazes in the unincorporated areas.

A 1987 GMC water tender truck has been added to the John Day Fire and Rural Fire District fleet, a donation from the Hillsboro Fire Department.

John Day Fire Chief Ron Smith said he’s thrilled with the gift, which will allow firefighters to get more water on scene in an initial fire attack.

He said the district has one water tender; each has a 2,500-gallon capacity, so this doubles the crews’ water power.

Water tenders – what Smith calls “water on wheels” – are used mainly in rural areas where there are no hydrants.

The John Day Rural district has relied on other fire districts, such as Mt. Vernon and Prairie City, to send tenders when needed.

“This will allow us more flexibility,” he said.

The new rig also will be more effective for initial response because, unlike the other tender, it is equipped with a pump. That will allow crews to put more water into the system, faster.

While close in age to the other tender, it only has 16,000 miles on it and is in great shape, Smith said. Another plus is its automatic transmission, which should make training easier for young volunteers who may have little or no experience with manual transmission vehicles, he said.

Smith said the donation grew out of conversations with Mark Prince, deputy chief at Hillsboro Fire. Smith said they’ve known each other for 15-20 years, and have talked about their departments at fire service meetings.

“This happens to be one of his favorite places,” Smith added.

At last year’s Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, Prince mentioned his department was ordering a new tender, and the old one might be available.

About two months ago, Smith got a call that the older truck was available.

Smith and Deputy Chief Don Gabbard drove over to Hillsboro to get the truck and drive it back.

Smith called it a big contribution for his department, adding “the guys over there were tickled to death to see we got it.”

He said the fire service is like a big family, and the big departments do a lot to help smaller departments when they can.

Smith said he’s grateful for the support from Prince and his chief, Greg Nelson.

“It’s a win-win for the community,” he said.