By Christopher Collins
The Abilene Reporter-News
ABILENE, Texas — Abilene firefighters welcomed a new member to their team Monday.
The Abilene Fire Department’s fleet of vehicles has been short-handed since one its fire engines was damaged beyond repair in a July 2010 accident. But this week, the department received a new Ferrera firetruck, decked out with some top-of-the-line technology.
“We’re very anxious to put it to the test,” said AFD Lt. Greg Goettsch.
The new truck, which cost $529,000, should be ready in a few weeks, he said. Equipment such as radios, computers, nozzles for water hoses, shovels, axes and other tools for fire rescue need to be secured to the fire engine by technicians before it begins to take calls.
“We’ve been running one vehicle short,” Goettsch said. “If we had several major events going on, that leaves us fewer vehicles.”
With the new engine now in the department’s full complement of vehicles, an older truck purchased in 1994 can be put back with the reserve vehicles, which are used less frequently. The AFD plans to use the new purchase for 15 years as a front-line “pumper” and 10 years in the reserve fleet.
“We hope it’s very durable,” Goettsch said. “They have a long, hard life.”
Last year the AFD responded to about 16,000 calls, about 4,000 of which involved fires or hazardous materials.
The new truck has been equipped with a compressed air foam system, he said, which can be more efficient is putting out certain types of blazes.
The foam, which Goettsch described as akin to dish soap, can penetrate some materials better than water, putting fires out faster. But, he warned, “it isn’t for every situation.”
Three of AFD’s engines have been retrofitted with the foam technology, Goettsch said.
The new truck should join the other seven front-line engines in two to three weeks. Ehe department has at total of 11 fire engines.
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