What I do for a living since I live kinda remote

Willy · January 01, 2008, 01:28:42 PM

Hello; This is what I found to do living out in the remote areas of Eastern Washington to help make a living. I built this Water Tender a few years back and contract with the USFS on Wildland Fires. The work is very exciting but only for a few months of the year during fire season. Building the Tender took around 3 months to sorta finish but I add things to it as I get extra money and during the boring times in the winter. Mark H.

Here is a link to some photos of it and fires it has been on.
http://imageevent.com/willy/watertender

glenn kangiser · January 01, 2008, 02:09:17 PM

Nice truck, Mark. We have opportunities like that here but I haven't pursued it. Fire is big business here though.

January 01, 2008, 04:26:59 PM

I live in Eastern Wa too. You might want to consider hauling water for people who don't have any wells. These days you can buy big water tanks for household water far cheaper than putting in a well but I don't see any water delivery services in the yellow pages. The lady I worked for in CA this past fall had a big tank and the water truck just comes and fills it up every month or so a lot of people around here could sure use that service. Even on a temporary basis at times... wells go dry and pipes freeze.

Willy · January 01, 2008, 04:37:26 PM

Quote from: tanya on January 01, 2008, 04:26:59 PM
I live in Eastern Wa too. You might want to consider hauling water for people who don't have any wells. These days you can buy big water tanks for household water far cheaper than putting in a well but I don't see any water delivery services in the yellow pages. The lady I worked for in CA this past fall had a big tank and the water truck just comes and fills it up every month or so a lot of people around here could sure use that service. Even on a temporary basis at times... wells go dry and pipes freeze.

You would need a certified potable water truck for drinking use. I used to haul water to a place I lived once and just used a 250 gal plactic water tank. In fact I still have a tank to haul water if needed that I can put in the back of a pick up. I also have a 6000 gal underground tank with a gasoline pump hooked to for fighting fire at my home. It runs a roof mounted 40 GPM sprinkler that can wet the place down nice if a wild fire burns us over. I have to stay around home during the summer for fire reasons to be on call. In the winter water freezing in your truck is not worth the chance to use it for hauling to others once in a while. My tender is parked till winter is over and that is all it is used for. Mark

Willy · January 01, 2008, 04:45:38 PM

Quote from: glenn kangiser on January 01, 2008, 02:09:17 PM
Nice truck, Mark. We have opportunities like that here but I haven't pursued it. Fire is big business here though.

It is getting harder to get into now unless you have been doing it a while. Now they want performance records showing you know what your doing on a fire. This will be my 6th year contracting and second truck I built. I hope this one lasts till I quit doing it. Then I will sell it and figure something else to do. Mark

January 01, 2008, 05:24:38 PM

I looked through your images of where you've taken your water truck.
That is some very scary stuff! The words below the pictures calmly describing the experience really put it in perspective, but I'm not sure my reaction to those circumstances would be nearly as calm.

I'm impressed.
Nice place too. Why are you building the cabin and then selling it? Better property on the horizon?
Looks like a very nice homestead.
Christina

Willy · January 01, 2008, 05:42:59 PM

Quote from: CWhite on January 01, 2008, 05:24:38 PM
I looked through your images of where you've taken your water truck.
That is some very scary stuff! The words below the pictures calmly describing the experience really put it in perspective, but I'm not sure my reaction to those circumstances would be nearly as calm.

I'm impressed.
Nice place too. Why are you building the cabin and then selling it? Better property on the horizon?
Looks like a very nice homestead.
Christina

This has been asked on a lot of things I build. I enjoy building things and have restored a lot of old vehicals from scratch. I got to own and drive each one for a while and it allowed me to keep doing it and owning different ones. If I kept them it would end soon by running out of money. As far as the cabin getting sold I want to build another one again and I allready live in the country. If I lived in the city it would be different but this will give some one a chance to get a place that they could not build. To me since I get pleasure out of building things it is fun to do. I can take the profet and either put it into my place or buy more land and start over. You need to stay active to be healthy but I also need to make a few dollars to pay bills with. I can have the best of both worlds. Mark H.

williet · January 01, 2008, 07:35:57 PM

I just retired from a chemical plant where we made a product that was close to jet fuel. Those 3" fire cannons are great. One guy got the idea to wash his truck with it and blasted most of the paint off.

The flames bring back memories too...Ours could be in the 100 ft range and the 1800 to 2000 deg range....I did my due with fires. It's best left to those who actually LIKE to do it. I hope I'm never closer than a fire place to it again.

Willy · January 01, 2008, 07:59:40 PM

Quote from: williet on January 01, 2008, 07:35:57 PM
I just retired from a chemical plant where we made a product that was close to jet fuel. Those 3" fire cannons are great. One guy got the idea to wash his truck with it and blasted most of the paint off.

The flames bring back memories too...Ours could be in the 100 ft range and the 1800 to 2000 deg range....I did my due with fires. It's best left to those who actually LIKE to do it. I hope I'm never closer than a fire place to it again.

I will tell you there have been a few times I wish I had been doing another job! I am now addicted to the excitement and love to fire off the water cannon to knock down a tall tree fire!! Mark