Historical Development Timeline

Historical Development Yakima County District 12

Year

Activity

Volunteers

Full-Time

1959

· Voters approve 3 new Districts – 10, 11 & 12

1960

· District Officially Formed

· Commission Formed

· 2 GMC Engines Purchased

· Station One Leased at Tieton and Pickens Road

· Chief Ray Wetmore Appointed

40+

1961

· Fire Chief Wetmore Appointed Fulltime

· First Major Fire – Norberg Fruit Company Warehouse

1

1962

· Station 3 Opened at Carlson and Tieton

40+

1

1963

· West Ahtanum/Tampico Area Annexed – 60 Sq. Miles

1

1964

· Built 1948 Dodge Power Wagon as grass rig

1

1965

· January – Ahtanum Valley School Fire

1

1966

· Station 4 at Tampico Opened

· Station 1 Moved to 7707 Tieton Drive

· New Van Pelt Pumper Engine # 90

48+

1

1967

· Tampico General Store Fire

1

1968

· Fall - Old Willow Lawn School Fire

· Fall - Gay Shato Dance Hall Fire

1

1969

· Summer – Strauz Warehouse Fire

· New Van Pelt Pumper Engine #91

1

1970

· May – Harris Farms Fire (20,000 Chicks Killed)

1

1971

· New Station 1 Built at 7707 Tieton Drive

1

1972

· Chief Tom Wilson Appointed To Replace Chief Wetmore

1

1973

· March – Saddle Tree (Night Club) Fire

· July – Holy Family Grade School Fire

1

1974

· May- Groenig Warehouse Fire (Apple Country)

1

1975

· New Upper Valley Apparatus Numbering System

1

1976

· New Fire Pumper (WV-41)

· Second Grass Rig Built

1

1977

· Summer – Pyramid Warehouse – Bin Pile, Triplex Fire

1

1978

· 1952 Ford Pumper Sold to Layman Logging

· New Fire Pumper (WV 12

· November – Playpen Tavern Fire

1

1979

· July – Borton Warehouse Fire

1

1980

· October – Congdon Complex Fire (Carreage Building, Maintenance Shop and 20 Tractors)

1

1981

· First, First Aid Vehicle (Dodge Ram Charger, the old Chief Car)

1

1982

·

1

1983

· September = Clasen Fruit Warehouse Fire

1

1984

· January – Walker Warehouse Fire

· April – First Female Firefighter

· New Station 2 Built at 9200 Ahtanum Road

1

1985

· Spring – Fire Hydrant System Approved by Federal Bureau of Reclamation – First in Nation

1

1986

· July – First Water Tender Purchased (1984 Volvo Van Pelt)

1

1987

· First Deputy Chief/Mechanic Fulltime Position

2

1988

·

2

1989

·

2

1990

· First Battalion Chief Position

· Fall – High School Cadet Program Started

4

1991

· March – Harris Farms Second Major Fire

· July – Station One Break-In – Two Vehicles Stolen

· Purchased New Spartan Pumper (1,500 GPM Pump, 750 Gallon Tank)

4

1992

· May – Interagency Wild Land Fire Suppression Program Started

4

1993

· Purchase new Central States Pumper (WV-11)

· Vote on Major Annexation by City of Yakima Defeated (Wide Hollow)

4

1994

· Fall – Snow Rescue Program Started with Two Snowmobiles and Rescue Sleds

· Chief Wilson Retires

4

1995

· January – Chief Ron Rutherford Promoted to Fire Chief

· Office Administer Position Established

4

1997

· New Station 3 Built Across Road to North

4

1998

· ATV Rescue Program Starts with Two New Polaris Magnums

· First Spartan Water Tender Purchased (WV25)

4

1999

· March – Hardwood Grocery Fire

· Moore Warehouse fire (Zier Road & Moore Road)

4

2000

· Battalion Chief Training Officer Resigns

3

2001

· Chief Ron Rutherford Retires

· City of Yakima Begins Annexation of 72^nd Street Area, Including Station 1

· Interim Fire Chief contracted

3

2002

· February – State Supreme Court Rules Annexation Process Unconstitutional

· February – Volunteer Training Officer Position and Training Committee Established

· Master Planning Initiated

· March - Deputy Chief Dave Leitch Appointed Fire Chief

· July – New Deputy Chief Appointed

70

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