Passing the Good Fortune Along: Grant-Funded Engines Reach Piercy—and Roll On to Alderpoint

Piercy Volunteer Fire Department donated Type 6 “Quick Attack” Fire Engine to help provide their Firefighters an Emergency First Responder vehicle suited for all the road conditions in the Alderpoint Coverage area and their Sphere of Influence region. Fire Captain Cardoza stated, “It is a good feeling to help support our neighbor Fire Departments whenever we can.” [Pictured L-R: APVFD Tawny Valk and Michael “Joe” Valk, PVFD Andrew “Drew” Cardoza, Fire Captain]

As previously reported by Redheaded Blackbelt, Mike McGuire announced in 2023 that the state would fund the purchase of 10 new pickup-style Type 6 fire engines for volunteer fire departments serving some of the most rugged and remote terrain on the North Coast. McGuire said the engines would replace antiquated equipment and improve response times on narrow back roads common in rural communities.

Among the departments slated to receive the new engines are Briceland, Whitethorn, Garberville, Palo Verde, Telegraph Ridge, Leggett, Westport, and the Piercy Volunteer Fire Department.

With Piercy now preparing to take delivery of its brand-new Type 6 engine, the department donated its existing quick-attack vehicle to the Alderpoint Volunteer Fire Department, extending the benefits of the grant to a neighboring district that did not receive a new engine in the initial allocation.

Larry Casteel, a commissioner with the Piercy Fire Protection District, said the donation reflects the collaborative spirit that shaped the grant from the start. After reaching out to McGuire about the challenges facing volunteer departments, Casteel helped convene a regional meeting of fire chiefs from Southern Humboldt and Northern Mendocino—an effort that ultimately helped move the funding forward.

“This isn’t [just] about Piercy,” Casteel said. “It’s about making sure Alderpoint has a vehicle that can support their community.”

Type 6 engines are especially important in rural fire districts. Smaller and more maneuverable than larger Type 3 engines, they can navigate steep, winding roads, reach remote properties more quickly, and respond efficiently to medical calls, vehicle accidents, and initial fire reports. Using a Type 6 for medical or investigative calls also conserves fuel, staffing, and wear on larger apparatus.

Casteel noted that in areas served by the Piercy Volunteer Fire Department—such as Pepperwood Springs, Bear Pen, Red Mountain Road, and other narrow routes common to the region—a quick-attack engine can often reach a scene faster and more safely than bulkier trucks.

For Alderpoint Fire Chief Sterling Kercher, the donated engine fills a critical operational need. The department plans to mount its Jaws of Life on the Type 6, allowing faster response to vehicle extrications and medical emergencies.

“Our bigger engines are slower and can’t go everywhere,” Kercher said in a telephone interview with Redheaded Blackbelt. “This one will get us there quicker and safer. There are calls we simply can’t make with the larger trucks.”

Kercher emphasized that the collaborative nature of small VFD’s extend beyond equipment sharing, noting that rural incidents rarely involve a single department. “You don’t ever know what you’re up against,” he said. “Sometimes it takes a good team.”

During a Zoom press conference announcing the grant in 2023, McGuire also said that departments in Bell Springs, Whale Gulch, Alderpoint, Redway, and Shelter Cove would receive training opportunities and grant-writing support, even if they were not among those receiving new engines.

McGuire also announced $6 million in wildfire prevention funding for the North Coast, including nearly $1 million earmarked for Humboldt County. Those funds were slated to be distributed through grants to fire departments, special districts, and nonprofit organizations for projects such as vegetation removal and construction of community firebreaks.

For Casteel, seeing Piercy’s outgoing engine put back into service in Alderpoint was the most tangible sign of success.

“It was a good feeling,” he said. “Helping support our neighbor fire departments whenever we can—that’s what this is really about.”