Station 34 – Fertile Valley

ABOUT STATION 34

Fire District 7 was formed in 1992 to help protect the homes, lands and provide EMS to residents of 18 square miles. Charlie Nall, Dale Lewis and Jim Donais were elected as Commissioners. They appointed Randy Miller as Fire Chief and Ed Douglas as training officer to work with the volunteers. DNR donated a 500 gallon pumper/tender and a 300 gallon brush truck with no building to store them in or the volunteers to train in. With community meetings and donations a 500 gallon engine was purchased from neighboring Fire District 3.

Eventually, with countless hours of work, word was received on March 20, 1996 that a Community Development Block Grant had been awarded in the amount of $348,000 to build the present station located on Fertile Valley and Jermain Road. Land was donated by Charlie and Yvonne Nall. The present building was built in 1997. South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue was created by voter approved mergers of Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3, Pend Oreille Fire District No. 1 and Pend Oreille Fire District No. 7 in 2010. An Engine, Water Tender, Rescue Vehicle and Command Vehicle now respond out of the Fertile Valley Station 34.

During the early years, many fund raisers were held to help build operating funds. One of the first major fund raisers was the Pancake Breakfast, which was held on May 8, 1998. Today it is an annual tradition that is still going strong and is “where old friends meet and new friends are made.” The funds received from this year’s “Breakfast with the Auxiliary” went to benefit South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue.

Captain Randy Miller leads the team of seven volunteers who respond from this station.

Video by Craig Schantz Volunteer Skookum Station 62 Battalion 6