If everything goes as planned, the firefighters at one Station One in the City of McMinnville
will have a new Rescue Pumper the first week of June.
Due to market demand, it’s taken two years for the 700-thousand dollar vehicle to be
manufactured. Deputy Chief Marty White says it will replace a vehicle the city purchased
back in 1993.
“It’s an upgrade across the board. It’s a newer technology, uh, it’s a Rescue Pumper,
so we are putting extrication equipment on it as well.” said White.
“The engine that it replaces doesn’t have any extrication equipment on it, it doesn’t have
a compartment space for it.”
White said the new truck will be safer for the firefighters as they are traveling.
“Everything from the seat belt systems to the air bag systems, the older apparatus, simply don’t have them,” said White. “They weren’t available back then.”
White said they will not have to make any modifications to the existing building in order to house the new Rescue Pumper.
“It’s a slightly bigger engine that the one it is replacing. Seems like the newer trucks are bigger nowadays, especially the Rescue Pumpers,” said White. “But our stations here, the bays are big enough, uh, there is no issue with the the doors or the storage, it will fit just fine.”
The fire truck the new Rescue Pumper is replacing will be maintained and used as a back up, when needed.
The money for the Rescue Pumper was taken from the city’s Capitol Funds Projects.
This is the department’s first major purchase since 2016. That year they bought a 75-foot ladder truck that’s still in service.
