BY MAGGIE BEAMGUARD, Insider Editor
There was a special delivery at Seven Lakes Fire and Rescue in late May. It wasn’t an emergency birth of a bouncing baby, but a shiny, new addition to the fleet.
Weighing in at 52,500 pounds and standing 10-feet, nine-inches and just over 34 feet long, the 2013 Ferrara Ember Rescue/Pumper will provide the department some welcome versatility.
“With how much our service has changed since the ‘Old E-634’ was placed into service back in 2002, it was not designed for what services we are routinely called to do now,” said Captain Tim Bouchelle. “The new E-634 is designed with today’s needs in mind. We can operate it as both an engine capable of flowing over 500 more gallons a minute compared to the old truck, as well as having the ability to carry rescue tools and be more prepared for all emergencies from one response unit.”
This new apparatus is designed for rescue operations such as vehicle accidents, high- or low-angle rescue, water emergencies and many others, as well as for fire response. It can pump up to 2,000 gallons of water a minute and carries 1,000 gallons of water onboard. It comes with a light tower used for emergency scenes even on the darkest nights.
The bright yellow apparatus also lights up the days. The new truck has already been put to work. According to Bouchelle, the new E-634 was used within its first week at the station. It was the second engine to arrive on scene at an outside fire in Seven Lakes South that was endangering a house. Another engine, E-631, was first due.
Before being placed into service, firefighters at the station placed new equipment on the truck and conducted training.
This truck replaces an aging 2002 American LaFrance which served the community well but was not suited to the current services. According to Bouchelle, average engines are on a 20-year replacement cycle, meaning the department gets funding to replace them after that time period. The vehicle life cycle varies based on the type of vehicle and how much use it gets.
But even retired trucks can sometimes get another go.
“Retired trucks are offered for sale and often purchased by small rural departments on limited budgets,” said Bouchelle. “The last engine we sold was purchased by a department in the Midwest.”
A large capital purchase like this is made possible by funding from the county fire tax, in addition to annual monies budgeted by the county for vehicle replacement and truck payments. A new factory purchase like this would typically cost close to $900,000 dollars, not including equipment. Seven Lakes Fire Rescue purchased this slightly used vehicle for over $300,000, including some equipment and graphics.
Donations are also an important source of funds.
“As most know, we had sent letters out asking for donations and, through those generous donations, we were able to make this new vehicle purchase happen,” Bouchelle wrote in a department news release, “So, on behalf of the entire department, thank you. This truck has been dedicated to the citizens of Seven Lakes without whose support we could never provide the services we do.”
The department’s newest pride and joy joins a robust fleet, including: two engines used for fire suppression; a 3,000-gallon tanker used to haul water to our rural areas; one mobile air/rescue unit, the only one of its kind in the county which, in addition to carrying tools for specialty rescue operations, carries a compressor for filling firefighters’ air tanks; one brush truck used to fight fires in wooded areas where access is restricted; one squad unit, a F-250 used when responding to medical emergencies and as a support vehicle; and two pick-up trucks used for school visits, training, errands and other miscellaneous tasks.
For more information about SLFR events and news, follow its new FaceBook page at Seven Lakes Fire / Rescue.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
