Actor’s charity funds fire department equipment

North Whidbey Fire and Rescue received a $22,000 grant funding the purchase of new gear

By Allyson Ballard • December 2, 2025 1:30 am

North Whidbey Fire and Rescue recently received an approximately $22,000 grant funding the purchase of new gear thanks to an organization founded by “Lt. Dan.”

During an event at Station 25 last week, Fire Chief Chris Swiger emphasized the department could not have afforded all the gear at once without the grant. It’s gear that is already proving valuable.

“The public’s going to be very, very grateful that we have them. Firefighters will be grateful that we have them,” Swiger said. “We already used the hydrocarbon detector to determine the origin and cause of an explosion.”

With the money, the fire department purchased three five-gas detectors, which detect gases like hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon detectors, useful for understanding whether fires are the result of arson.

Maeleea Inciong, an equipment rental specialist for Sunbelt Rentals in Oak Harbor, had the opportunity to award the grant to a fire department of her choosing. The grant is funded by the Gary Sinise Foundation, a charitable and veterans service organization. Sinise famously portrayed Lt. Dan in “Forrest Gump,” a role that earned him an Oscar nomination and gave him a special connection to wounded veterans.

Sunbelt Rentals rents out equipment and tools — like forklifts, lawncare equipment and temporary fencing — to contractors and those with similar construction needs.

There are about 80 volunteer firefighters at North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, according to Swiger. That fact caught Inciong’s attention when researching potential recipients, as volunteer departments tend to run on tighter budgets. Inciong first contacted Swiger in June, and the department submitted and received approval of the grant in August.

“If I could give more, I would, absolutely,” Inciong said. “Because they put their time into us and I think we should put our time into them. They’re the first to a fire, they’re the first to an accident and they’re always the last to leave.”

Inciong and Swiger each said they enjoyed working with one another, and Swiger stressed the importance of obtaining all the gear the department did at once. That way, he said, firefighters can be trained and “put on” the equipment sooner.

“I’m so grateful that she found this grant for us,” Swiger said.