PRECorp Foundation donates truck to Oshoto VFD

The Oshoto Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) in northern Crook County is the first – of what could be multiple local volunteer fire departments – to receive a retired field truck from its electric cooperative Powder River Energy Foundation Corporation (PRECorp Foundation).

Through the efforts of the PRECorp Board of Directors and the PRECorp Foundation Board of Directors, a program is being designed to assist rural volunteer fire departments obtain vehicles that have been rotated out of PRECorp's active motor fleet.

"As PRECorp retires trucks and other used equipment no longer suitable for active fleet use, the current process is to sell those trucks and equipment through an auction on the eBay site," said PRECorp CEO Brian Mills.

The PRECorp Board recently authorized holding one of the units back from the Spring auction (a 2014 Ford Diesel F550 4x4), with the intent of answering a need expressed by the Oshoto VFD.

Commitment to Community and the needs of the communities PRECorp serves is one of the seven cooperative principles under which the company operates. When the Oshoto VFD mentioned their need for a reliable service vehicle for local emergency service, the PRECorp Board realized other local fire departments and the communities they serve might have similar needs. From this realization, the PRECorp Foundation Volunteer Fire Department Vehicle Donation Program was born.

Going forward, as suitable vehicles are retired from cooperative service, the PRECorp Foundation will solicit applications from its communities and their volunteer fire departments who have an immediate need. While PRECorp will continue to sell and recover revenue from fleet retirements through eBay auctions, the intent of the program is to hold back an occasional vehicle to satisfy these needs for the benefit of our member/owners.

The 2023 gift is the beginning of a regular offering as vehicles become available to one northeast Wyoming VFD who expresses a need in an application to the PRECorp Foundation. The process details are still being worked out, but PRECorp Foundation Board President John Flocchini said the intent is that over time for each department to have a chance at a truck. Departments will not be allowed to receive a second truck until all other local departments have had a chance. The intent of the program is for the recipient to demonstrate a need for and use the truck in its emergency response fleet.

For more information and an application go to https://precorp.coop/sponsorship-and-donations or, contact the PRECorp Foundation at [email protected].