The Algood City Council approved the purchase of two used fire trucks for the city’s fire department Tuesday night
Fire Chief David Judd said the additional engines will give the fire department more options, strategies and tactics for the city’s firefighters. Judd said growth created the need.
“If we have one fire on one end of town and if we have another one, God forbid, on the other end, we have more options to send and make sure these residents are protected,” Judd said.
City Administrator Keith Morrison said the city can purchase two fire engines for less than $640,000, fully outfitted with firefighting equipment. Morrison said having three firetrucks with adequate water tanks will significantly improve the department’s capabilities.
“We always want two trucks available because you never know when you’re going to need them, and things are going to happen to them,” Morrison said.
Two weeks ago, Engine No. 1 was down for two weeks according to repairs. Judd said the Algood fire department was operating with just one fire engine pumper.
Judd said the fire department’s response time from tone to on-scene arrival currently hovers around four minutes. He also said his crews respond to over 650 calls a year.
Morrison said the goal is to have all the trucks in the fleet to be less than 20 years old, and plans on replacing them every five years to maximize value. By buying both trucks at the same time, Morrison said he could get a better deal.
The city also approved the purchase of a new dump truck.
“For less than a million (dollars), I can do a garbage truck and two used fire engines and the fire equipment,” Morrison said. “We feel like that’s the better option.”
In other business, the council renewed their agreement with Unifirst for uniform services. The city council also approved to surplus a handful of older emergency response vehicles including a 1988 Chevy brush fire truck, a 2000 American LaFrance Eagle and a 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe First Responder Command Unit.
