Liberty Lake panel views fire rig

Liberty Lake appears to have gotten a little safer.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting police officer promotions were announced, and there was the official unveiling for a new fire department ladder truck that will service the area.

Ray Bourgeois was promoted from sergeant/supervisor to detective. Officer Clint Gibson takes over as sergeant/supervisor, while Brad Deines moves from a reserve position to patrol officer.

After announcing the promotions and new hires, Police Chief Brian Asmus got the first laugh of the night when he noted that all officers – and equipment – survived emergency vehicle training sessions at the Deer Park Airport.

Asmus also reported that the department took delivery of new thermal imaging equipment that Bourgeois had just completed training.

The hand-held device looks similar to flashlight and would aid in everything from “finding missing children to desperados in the woods,” Bourgeois said. The new equipment will pick up a heat source from as far as a quarter-mile away, Bourgeois added.

The new ladder rig will be housed at Valley Fire Station No. 10 on Sprague just east of Flora Road, two miles from the city.

The new truck moves Liberty Lake into a lower insurance rating. Assistant Fire Chief Dave Lobdell said the city moved from a four to a three rating.

In initially addressing the council, Lobdell began with the classic understatement. “We have a new fire truck,” he said, eliciting a round a laughter since it was quite hard to not notice the red and white truck that sat in the parking lot with its 75-foot ladder deployed high above.

The new addition complements an existing truck with a 100-foot ladder.

Lobdell cautioned that a lower insurance rate will not happen until an official, “comes over here physically, look at the fire station and prove to himself that the truck is there.”

In other council business two planning commission positions were filled. Susan Schuler will assume a regular position on the commission, while Daniel Dunne will serve in an “adjunct” role.

The council also will begin experimenting with a new format for the second meeting of each month. A new “workshop” format will be tried at the June 19 meeting, and perhaps thereafter.

Under the plan, the council will dispel of some of the traditional reports and activities that take place at each meeting. Instead, specific topics will get increased attention under the format.