Dozens of friends, family members and personnel from the Riverside Fire Authority gathered outside Station 8 off Garrard Creek Road near Oakville on Jan. 13 to dedicate the station’s new Engine 8 to a former firefighter who served the area.
Lt. Matthew J. Kimbrel volunteered at the rural station from 1986 through 1990 before his "untimely passing” in 1990, according to the fire department.
Assistant Chief Erik Olson, who served with Kimbrel at Lewis County Fire District 12 prior to the formation of the Riverside Fire Authority, spoke at the ceremony.
"Matt was more than a firefighter — he was a friend, a mentor, and a steady presence in times of chaos,” Olson said. “His calmness, his kindness, and his dedication will live on in every call we answer and every life we protect."
Olson said the department promises to “carry forward his spirit of service and his love for this community.”
“Matt, you will never be forgotten. Your legacy rides with us every day," Olson said.
In his speech, Olson thanked the current and former Station 8 volunteers, family and friends, and lauded the dedication of the volunteers who continue to serve the Garrard Creek, Independence and Lincoln Creek response areas.
“Many of (Kimbrel’s) family members continue to volunteer from Station 8 and were on hand to celebrate the new engine and his volunteer legacy,” the fire department stated in a news release. “We are thankful for their continued dedication and commitment to this community.”
According to the department, Engine 8 is a 2025 KME 1800-gallon pumper tender that has been in service since November 2025. The new unit replaced a 1978 Mack pumper truck.
The fire department told The Chronicle that funds for the new engine were planned and budgeted “far in advance due to the expense of replacement.”
To offset replacement costs, the department said it used timber tax funds from operations conducted in the west end of the district.
