As the beloved tourist communities of Idanha and Detroit face devastation from fire, one generous gift poured a bit of joy into the towns last week.

On Sept. 11, Aurora Fire offered the Idanha-Detroit Rural Fire Protection District the gift of a fire engine.

Crews from the primarily volunteer-run Idanha-Detroit department have been sacrificing their time and risking their lives to fight the Lionshead Fire that is blazing across Linn and Marion counties.

Meanwhile, the fire destroyed one of the department's engines and its district office, Idanha-Detroit RFPD said in a post on social media.

The folks at Aurora Fire heard about the loss and decided to do something about it on a day that garnered much less attention in Oregon this year because of the fires—Sept. 11.

"Today is September 11, and we are in remembrance of what occurred in 2001," Aurora Fire said in its own post. "…As firefighters and communities, one of the ways we can remember 911 is the act of giving. The community is giving to us, and now we are paying it forward."

So, on that day, Aurora Fire headed out to the Idanha and Detroit area to deliver its retired fire engine, 926, as a gift. It came fully loaded with hoses, nozzles, medical and rescue equipment, as well as food and water for firefighting crews in the district.

"Our firefighters were overjoyed to receive this very gracious gift, many of us succumbing to tears of gratitude," Idanha-Detroit Fire said. "Thank you, Aurora Fire District! This gift is truly a wonderful uplifting event in these very exhausting and trying times."

Idanha-Detroit is now putting the gifted engine to use, according to Aurora Fire.

Kristen Wohlers
Reporter
503-263-7512
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