By Andrew Branca
The Daily Light
MIDLOTHIAN, Texas — After months of construction the Midlothian Fire Department has put its three new Pierce fire trucks into service. The last truck started its service with the city on July 9.
“Due to the economic downturn and the tightness of budgets, we had not been setting aside funds to keep our fleet changed out on a regular basis,” Midlothian Fire Chief David Schrodt said. “As a result, our apparatus kept putting years on and years on. We were in a position last year where our oldest engine, our reserve engine, was 22 years old, which is really beyond what anyone would normally want to keep one. The other three engines were requiring more and more money just to keep them on the road.”
Schrodt said he talked to Midlothian City Manager Don Hastings about the situation and informed him that the department needed at least one new engine. Hastings agreed and began working with the city’s finance staff to provide funding.
Full story: New Midlothian fire trucks placed in service