TEXARKANA, Texas - The manufacture of a new pumper truck for the Fire Department has not been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic, and delivery is still expected by fall.
"The new fire truck is coming along quickly now. There were no delays in construction other than the normal process of waiting in line. The chassis is complete and the bed is currently in the paint shop," Fire Chief Eric Schlotter said.
At a cost of $635,000, the pumper will be assigned to Fire Station Nine on Summerhill Road and feature a number of improvements over the 2006 model it will replace.
A heavy duty custom chassis is expected to reduce maintenance cost, and the truck's wheelbase - the shortest of any vehicle in the TTFD fleet - will make it maneuverable. Ninety percent of its parts can be purchased after-market, as opposed to available only from the manufacturer, which also will keep maintenance expenses low.
The truck's tank will hold 750 gallons of water, 50% more than the current truck's 500-gallon capacity. In many fire scenarios, pumper trucks begin putting water on a fire immediately upon arrival, while larger trucks set up and connect hoses to hydrants. TTFD also uses pumpers in situations, such as car fires on Interstate 30, where hydrants are not available. The new truck's larger capacity will allow firefighters to do so for a longer time. Its maximum pumping capacity will be 1,500 gallons per minute, but the typical rate during normal use is 125 gallons per minute per line.
Improved safety features include airbags and seats that do not absorb smoke or other carcinogenic contaminants from firefighters' protective clothing.
Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists Inc. is custom building the new truck to order. Most of the manufacture will take place in South Dakota, and Metro will finish the truck in Houston.
Payment for the truck will come from the city budget's capital replacement fund, which was instituted with a $1 million starting balance in 2009. The city invests large sums in the fund each year to cover maintenance and replacement costs for its entire vehicle fleet, including police cruisers and heavy road equipment.