Advertisement

New fire truck for Saint Andrews firefighters

St. Andrews Fire Department has a new, $509,000 fire truck that Chief Kevin Theriault says he's proud to have in the fleet.

The cost of the Spartan chassis pumper tanker is worth it, Theriault said.

"All through the process we kept thinking about firefighter safety and ease of use," Theriault said of the new truck.

"In here is a set of hose compartments that are built on trays, so everything is nice and low, and firefighters don't have to climb up on an icy truck to get the hose, they're right here," he said as he showed off the truck.

"When they're done, the whole tray comes out, we can set it on the ground, we can reload our hose on the tray, a couple of firefighters can set it back on the truck. It's much safer for everyone involved."

The truck will replace a pumper truck and a rescue truck.

The fire station in Saint Andrews provides services to an area that covers 170 square kilometres.

The department responded to 130 calls in 2016 and 80 to date in 2017.

Theriault, who has been fire chief for five years, said the new truck will allow firefighters more latitude in the calls they can respond to.

"Right now, the rescue truck responds to car accidents and medical assist calls and other than that, it sits in the station."

He said the new truck will be a more versatile.

"With the new technology in this truck, it's going to make it a lot safer for the firefighters responding ... it's a stronger truck and a safer truck."