About the Department

The Dunken Volunteer Fire Department is located in the Southwestern part of Chaves County in the rugged Sacramento Mountains. This department was established under the leadership of Chief Sonny Watts in May 1960 after the department had co-signed a loan for a 1946 International Pumper with a 500-gallon tank to get the department started, after operating 1 year, it was finally established. In 1969, the International Pumper was replaced with a 1969 Ford Pumper.

The original station was built in 1963 and added onto in 1984. This facility was converted into the department’s shop when the construction of their new 4-bay station was completed in September of 2010. The new Main station has a four bay design complete with training facility and kitchen. Dunken maintained a sub-station at Flying H from 1973 - 1980 when the department was split and formed the Rio Felix Volunteer Fire Department.

The Dunken Volunteer Fire Department has 23 personnel.

Fire Apparatus

• Pumper 1
  2009 Freightliner with a 1,250 GPM pump and a 1,500-gallon tank
• Mobile Water Supplies 1
  1985 GM Tanker with a 1,250 GPM pump and a 3,500-gallon tank
• Mobile Water Supplies 2
  1993 Mack with a 1,000 GPM pump and a 1,000-gallon tank
• Mobile Water Supplies 3
  2004 Freightliner with a 500 GPM pump and a 2,000-gallon tank
• Urban-Interface Attack Vehicle 1
  2012 Ford F550 with a 500 GPM pump and a 500-gallon tank
• Urban-Interface Attack Vehicle 2
  2005 Ford F550 with a 200 GPM pump and a 500-gallon tank

ISO Rating & Funding

The current Chief of this department is Timothy Z. Jennings and the department currently has an ISO rating of 7 and will receive $55,501 for their base FY2013 Fire Fund Act Allocation.