Thurston County Fire District No. 16

==About==
Thurston County Fire District No. 16 was known as Gibson Valley Fire District 16.
==History==
On September 15th, 1970, a Special Election was held to determine if Thurston County Fire Protection District No. 16 should be formed. The votes were cast in favor of forming the district, with 38 votes in favor of and 1 vote against the formation of the district. The district was officially formed on September 28th, 1970. Notably, it seems that Fire District 16 was originally planned to be called "Bucoda Fire District #16" due to its location in the unincorporated areas surrounding the Town of Bucoda.
In early 1971, Fire District 16 began contracting services from Lewis County Fire District 12 (LCFD12). Under this contract, property taxes collected within the fire district were paid to LCFD12 for their provision of Fire & EMS service.
On November 3rd, 1981, voters approved a levy lid lift on the General Election Ballot with 31 "yes" votes and 19 "no" votes. The funds were used to purchase property and construct the district's fire station. The funds also allowed for the purchase a brand new Ford / FMC engine and 2 surplus army trucks which were built into a tender and brush truck. Because of this, the county with LCFD12 was ended as the district became capable of providing services itself.
In 2004, a detached 3 bay apparatus building was added to the north of the existing 3 bay station as, with the arrival of the 2004 Kenworth pumper, the district had more apparatus than bays, thus necessitating the construction of more bays. 
Gibson Valley merged with Tenino Fire District 12, as District 16 only had 8 active members, which could not adequately provide service to all of its members. Being volunteers, it took a long time for them to get to the station from their place of work or residence. The district only averaged around 200 calls annually, so members regularly provided mutual aid to neighboring districts. South Thurston Fire & EMS was formed on April 13, 2017 as a result of the merger.
===Fire Stations===
Station	Address 	In Service	Notes
16-1 	21249 Bucoda Highway Southeast, Centralia	1983-2017 	Land purchased 12/10/1981.Declaration of Covenant. File #8201250045. Thurston County Auditor's Office, 1981. Became South Thurston Fire & EMS Station 42.
South Thurston Fire Station 42 (Bays Open, 8-30-23).jpg|Station 16-1 (Post Merger)
==Apparatus==
All pump/tank capacities are in US gallons.
:2004 Kenworth T800 / HME Ahrens-Fox SilverFox pumper (1250/2500/20F) (Ex-Engine 16-1)
:2003 Ford E-450 / North Star ambulance (Ex-Aid 16-1) (Ex-Thurston County Medic One, acquired 2013)
:1999 Ford F-250 / 2004 FD-Built (Ex-Battalion 16-1) (Ex-Oregon)
:1997 Ford F-350 4x4 / 1997 Knaphiede / 198? Reiff Manufacturing / 2004 FD-Built (240/165) (Ex-Brush 16-1) (Chassis donated by Suburban Propane in 2004)
:1995 Ford E-350 / North Star (Ex-16-2, ex-Aid 16-1) (Ex-Thurston County Medic One, acquired 2004)
:1992 Ford F-350 / Road Rescue Type I ambulance (Ex-Aid 16-2, ex-Aid 16-1) (Ex-McLane Fire District 9, purchased ca. 1995) (Donated to Glenoma Fire & EMS in 2013)
:1986 Ford E-350 / Road Rescue ambulance (SN#943) (Sold to Cowlitz County Fire District No. 4)
:1985 GMC Sierra 7000 / Protech / Cascade Fire / 1998 WA DNR Type III brush (100/620) (Ex-Brush 16-2) (Ex-North Olympia Fire District 7)
:1983 GMC General 6x4 / 199? local elliptical tanker (350/3000) (Ex-Tender 16-1) (Ex-Canada, purchased 1990's)
:1981 Ford F-700 / FMC pumper (1000/1000) (SN#8278) (Ex-Engine 16-2, ex-Engine 16-1) (First new apparatus)
:1980 GMC ambulance (Ex-Thurston County Medic One, acquired 1990)
:1976 Dodge brush (Ex-Brush 16-1) (Ex-WA DNR) (Purchased 1990's, sold ca. 2005)
:197? Dodge Tradesman 300 Type II ambulance (Ex-Aid 16-1) (Sold 1990)
:1952 GMC M135 2½-ton 6x6 / FD-Built brush (Ex-Brush 16-1) (Sold 1990's)
:1952 GMC M211 2½-ton 6x6 / FD-Built tender (Ex-Tender 16-1) (Sold 1990's)
South Thurston Fire & EMS 2004 KW T800 Engine 412.jpg|2004 Kenworth T800
South Thurston Fire 1997 Ford Brush 42.jpg|1997 Ford F-350
South Thurston Fire Aid 42 (1995).jpg|1995 Ford E-350
T422 Retired.jpg|1983 GMC General
==District Map==
Category:Defunct fire departments of Thurston County, Washington
Category:Former operators of Cascade Fire apparatus
Category:Former operators of HME Ahrens-Fox apparatus