Colstrip donates a 2021 structure truck to Treasure County volunteer firefighters; commissioners discuss title and insurance

A 2021 structure fire truck donated by the Colstrip department is headed to Treasure County, and commissioners met with fire representatives to clarify how to title and insure the vehicle before it is put into service.

Will, a fire‑department representative, presented the donation and said the truck is a recent model with low miles and a 1,250‑gallon tank. “It's a 2021 Kinzold structure truck. ... it's got a nice big 1,250 gallon water tank,” Will said during the meeting.

Commissioners discussed how to record ownership and insurance. Will explained that the local volunteer department operates under the name Treasure County Volunteer Fire Department and that donors and fund‑raisers have been organized for the county‑wide department. The commissioners said the simplest path would be titling the vehicle to the county or to the Treasure County Volunteer Fire Department so it can be used countywide, and they noted that whoever holds title will need to insure the vehicle and account for maintenance costs.

No formal vote to accept the truck was recorded in the transcript; commissioners indicated support for accepting the donation and asked staff to obtain the vehicle’s VIN and coordinate title and insurance paperwork. The fire department expects to receive the truck in early to mid‑May and to conduct operator training on site after delivery.

What commissioners flagged as next steps

- Staff to obtain VIN and vehicle documentation, confirm which items the donor will remove and which will remain, and coordinate title transfer. - Arrange insurance and determine whether the county or the volunteer fire department should hold title; commissioners signaled preference for county ownership under the Treasure County Volunteer Fire Department name. - Schedule hands‑on training with the donor before placing the truck into service.