By Aaron Curtis
The Sun
DRACUT, Mass. — A Dracut fire engine that served the department for 31 years is set to embark on a new mission, bringing its lifesaving capabilities to the Caribbean.
Rather than discarding their 1993 E-One pumper, Fire Engine 5, which the National Fire Protection Association deemed obsolete, the Dracut Fire Department announced on Friday that they decided to breathe new life into it. The department is replacing the old pumper with a new state-of-the-art model while sending the old engine to serve the Cambita Fire Department in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.
New Dracut Fire Chief Michael Cunha and retired Chief Richard Patterson said in a press release making the announcement that when donated, the truck was filled with surplus equipment from the Dracut and Tyngsboro fire departments, including hoses, gear, and self-contained breathing apparatus.
“We have been sending outdated gear there for many years,” Patterson said. “The gear cannot be used in North America due to age and NFPA standards, but no such standards exist in the Dominican Republic. We are happy to be able to provide our brothers and sisters in Cambita with the equipment that they need to do their job.”
The Dracut Fire Department has fostered a decadelong bond with the Cambita Fire Department, led by Chief Eugenio Peñalo, thanks to a mutual friend of both departments, paramedic and EMT instructor Chris Goring from Emergency Response Training.
“This donation will empower the Cambita firefighters to improve their operational capabilities,” Goring said. “This partnership highlights the strength of collaboration in the firefighting community, transcending borders to help those in need.”
Peñalo expressed his gratitude to the local fire department, calling it “this remarkable form of solidarity.”
“This generous donation will significantly enhance the ability of the Cambita Fire Department to respond to emergencies and protect our community,” Peñalo said.
The Cambita Fire Department used donations and grants to have the engine transported to the Dominican Republic at no cost to the Dracut Fire Department.
In the past, the Dracut Fire Department has donated essential firefighting gear, including protective equipment that can no longer be used in the U.S., to support the Cambita Fire Department, which Patterson said has long been in need of basic firefighting necessities.
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