Pontoon Boat At Newman Lake Would Be Used As Floating Hydrant

A lack of fire hydrants surrounding Newman Lake has Fire District 13 considering a plan to buy a pontoon boat that could refill fire trucks.

Though the fire district covers about eight miles of shore surrounding the lake, hydrants cover only the quarter-mile stretch of Honeymoon Bay, District 13 Chief Bud Clow said.

As a result, firefighters are often forced to drive several miles to refill their water tanks. The more time it takes to refill trucks, the less time they have to fight fires, Clow said.

Buying a pontoon boat would cut down on that time, the chief said.

“A pontoon boat would give us the equivalent of a hydrant anywhere on the lake,” Clow said.

The eight-by-22-foot boat would be equipped with a pump, hoses and a water cannon and other medical equipment.

Cherokee Landing on the southeast side of the lake and a private dock on the northeast side are being considered as possible dock sites.

The boat would be unusable in the winter when the lake freezes, Clow said.

“It can only be used about eight months out of the year,” Clow said.

The fire district is accepting bids for the boat until Tuesday to determine its cost, Clow said. Fire commissioners will decide over the next two months whether to buy the boat.

CPR for kids

Children ages 8 and up can learn how to perform CPR next Saturday at University City Shopping Center.

Volunteers from the Spokane Valley Citizens for CPR and Explorer Scout Post 911 will be there to explain CPR procedures, show kids how to open an airway and tell them what to do and say when calling 911.

The program will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A child as young as 5 can benefit from instruction on calling 911 and learning how to help someone who’s choking, said Judi Broderius, group president.

“Any kid who can answer a telephone can learn how to open an airway,” Broderius said.

, DataTimes