New truck means more water to fight fire
Pine Village Fire Chief Larry Brewer said the new truck is a 1990 Seagrave, is automatic with a diesel engine and a six person cab.
The truck's best feature, according to the department's chief, is the truck will carry 1,250 gallons of water. He added that the truck will replace a 1979 GMC model which has a 1,000 gallon tank. The old truck was sold to a fire department in Sheridan.
"They're supposed to pick it up next week," Brewer said. "It's still a good old truck. We just wanted to get something newer and better.. I'm just trying to keep the department updated," Brewer said that the truck will could also mean better ISO ratings for the station.
The Pine Village Fire Department runs on a tanker aid system meaning that the truck carries water to the fire rather than relying a water supply at the scene.
"We have no fire hydrants, all the water comes off the tanker aid," Brewer said. The Pine Village Fire Department, located at 31 Airport Road, relies on several pieces of equipment to get water including two conventional pumpers, two 2,000 gallon tanker (trucks), two bus trucks and a service truck.
Brewer added, "We've got mutual aid with several departments that have 2,000 gallon tankers Liberty, Satillo each have 2,000 gallon tankers, 286 has a 1,000 gallon tanker, Wescon has a 1,000 gallon tanker," who will bring water if Pine Village needs assistance.
The 17-person volunteer fire station offers aid to 560 homes in south Conway, "and then we got to Mayflower's north city limits," Brewer said.
1st Security Bank financed the purchase of the used truck and the volunteers couldn't be happier.
"We're real happy to have this at our fire district now," Brewer said. "Hopefully within two weeks it will be in service we'll have all the hose and everything on it and be running it to fires."
To get the truck in service, Brewer said the department will have to install fire extinguishers, fill the bins with equipment and fill the truck with 1400 feet of hose. "We were, at one time, having two or three men going to the station and getting trucks and everyone else was going to the fire in their personal vehicles," Brewer said.
With less equipment and more water, the truck will save more homes.
"We're moving up," Brewer sai
