Community celebrates new fire hall

October 18 , 2007

Approximately 150 people gathered last Saturday to dedicate the new Cathlamet Fire Hall.

The hall’s six bays will hold the Cathlamet Fire Department’s pumpers, ambulances and emergency response vehicles. It also has meeting rooms, apartments for personnel, equipment storage rooms, and other facilities.

Recognized and honored at the program were department Chief Jerry DeBriae, and his wife Linda, who donated $1 million toward construction of the new hall.

When given the opportunity to speak at the end of the program, Jerry DeBriae had few words.

“Everybody else has said everything,” he said. “The fire station is in service at this time.”

Department Captain Wally Wright welcomed the crowd and described the creative process used to fund the new hall—a mix of private and public funds from local, state and national sources. Twenty or more people or organizations donated to the project, he said, and rooms in the building are named after some of the department’s founding fathers.

Assistant Chief Fred Johnson described DeBriae’s contribution.

“Jerry and Linda made this all come together,” he said. “Jerry joined the department in 1961 and has been chief for 33 years.

Johnson, who has been assistant chief under DeBriae for 23 years, said, “It’s been great serving under him. “He’s a great leader, and he always made it clear what he wanted.”

“This will go down as the significant day of our generation,” said Bill Faubion, also a 23-year assistant chief under DeBriae.

The department long ago outgrew its quarters in the town hall, he said. In 1970, the department responded to 50 ambulance and fire calls; now, it responds to more than 400 a year. As demands for service grew, so did the demands for specialized equipment. The new hall should meet those needs well into the future, he said.

A series of other speakers commented on the contribution and the usefulness of the building.

To end the ceremony, Captain Mike Wright radioed the sheriff’s department dispatching center for a ceremonial tone-out which included plectrons, bells and the town siren.