PRECorp helps Pine Haven Bite into Safety

Like many communities throughout the West, 2021 was a busy fire season for fire departments across Wyoming. In Pine Haven, a small town in Crook County surrounded on three sides by the Keyhole Reservoir, last year included two structure fires and 45 wildland fires, including one serious fire that started at the edge of town. 

“We were very fortunate the wind chased the fire away from town or we would have had significant property loss,” said Pine Haven Fire Chief T.J. Gideon. “With only one road in and out, time is critical and that instance underscored the importance of the necessity of our area resources working together to find solutions.”

That collaborative nature was on display last year as the all-volunteer Pine Haven Fire Department sought to secure funding for needed equipment, such as a new Jaws of Life. The department was able to purchase one at a cost of $9,500, with the help of several sources, including a $3,000 donation from the Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) Foundation. 

“We were way past the need for a new one and without their help, we would have had to delay the purchase,” said Gideon.

Needed replacement

The Jaws of Life tool the department sought to replace was at least 30 years old, rapidly reaching the end of its working life. Pine Haven received it from Hulett 15 years ago, after the nearby town had used it for 15 years. The pneumatic tool required a separate gas engine and hydraulic pump to operate. In addition, the old Jaws were not able to cut into newer vehicles due to stronger materials, making it very difficult for users to avoid cutting into specific safety points.

“With today’s vehicles, you have to be careful where you cut to avoid actuators and compressed air lines for airbags,” said Gideon. “The new Jaws of Life is battery operated, much lighter and easier to use while functioning twice as fast as the older one.”

Pine Haven’s volunteer fire department, with 14 active members, is responsible for responses throughout Crook County, including wildland fires. Major equipment available to it includes one ambulance and two structure engines owned by the town and two Type 6 wildland engines and one wildland Type 4 water tender truck owned by the county. While the town itself has a population of fewer than 500 individuals, summer brings a large influx of people, as many as 2,500 at capacity, to enjoy Keystone Reservoir.

Caring Community

Gideon said he knows Pine Haven’s struggle to fund and replace its outdated equipment is not unusual and that volunteer fire departments nationwide struggle to maintain their equipment and gear to the NFPA standards. 

“Keeping our equipment functioning properly is critical, but meeting the same standards as professional fire departments in large populations with deep pockets is very challenging for communities like ours,” he said. “We depend heavily on private donors in Pine Haven and are very fortunate to have a community that deeply cares.”

In addition to donations like that from the PRECorp Foundation, Pine Haven holds an annual Texas Hold‘em Tournament held at the Pine Haven Community Center to help the fire department. In 2021, the event raised nearly $15,000 for the Jaws of Life and other equipment. 

“We are extremely thankful to donors like PRECorp Foundation and the donations given by essentially the entire town,” said Gideon. “All of their donations were unbelievable, including one silent donor who gave $3,000.”

Fortunately, the Pine Haven fire department has not used the new Jaws of Life on an emergency call yet, only having its personnel train with it so far. The need for more equipment exists for many reasons, including the fact the area is still classified as being in severe drought conditions, despite being winter. For 2022, the department is targeting to raise $20,000 to cover the cost of new fire gear and radios for their staff, which includes four new volunteers. This past month at the community’s third annual Texas Hold ‘Em fundraising event they raised about $15,000 towards that goal including a grant they received from the Volunteer Firefighters Association. Following the event, the PRECorp Foundation approved an additional grant for $2,500 and secured matching funds from Basin Electric to get the final $5,000 for the fire department. 

The Powder River Energy Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to serve the communities in its service area. Please email today for information on how the PRECorp Foundation can help your community today.