Polson RFD has strong leadership and goals

Following are the goals set by Fred Nelson, chair of the board of trustees, the fire chief and the firefighter volunteers of the Polson Rural Fire Dept.:

• Provide the best fire protection for all of the Polson Rural Fire District, assist all other fire departments, ambulance, accidents, sheriff, Highway Patrol;

• Provide the best training and safety for our 40 volunteer firefighters;

• Work hard to put enough fire stations so all rural homeowners are within a five-mile radius. That gives homeowners a lower fire insurance cost and creates a shorter time to respond to fires.

We have four stations now and are working on a fifth on Rocky Point, thanks to the CSKT Tribes lease on land there. This is an increase of two stations and an increase from 17 firefighters to 40.

All of this has occurred under Fred Nelson’s leadership and the trustees and the firefighters.

We have a great fire chief, Will Woodger, deputy chief Jack Clapp, plus two captains, three lieutenants, 40 volunteers, 18 firefighting trucks and equipment. Our trustees are chair Fred Nelson, vice chair John Doty, trustees Jack Clapp and Ron Roberts, secretary-treasurer Dick Wunderlich, administrator Kelley Druyvestein. None of the trustees are paid.

Our chair has kept the department moving forward with his eye on all the goals. The board has been very, very conservative with taxpayers’ dollars. We have stayed within budget and expanded our equipment without increasing debt and no increase of taxes. We find good used equipment when we can and build some of our own.

Our fire protection is top-notch and our equipment is the best we can afford.

I’m giving you this info because a person who ran for the board thought we didn’t have a goal and had no leadership. He was wrong, and wrong that the election cost the taxpayers and the department $9,400.

I wish he had come to the fire meetings and the fire department to see what we are doing and planning and what’s already in place. We have goals, a great chair, terrific firefighters and a fantastic taxpayer base and support.

Thank you all for what you do.

– Trustee Dick Wunderlich

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