Passersby could not help but notice the 40-foot long ladder truck stretched across several parking spaces in front of the Fannin County Courthouse last Tuesday evening, March 24.
The Fannin County Fire Department’s newest addition was unveiled for the public following the county Board of Commissioners regular meeting.
Fire Chief Larry Thomas talked about some of the truck’s advantages during that meeting.
The truck features a 107-foot long ladder with a 750-pound tip load. Multiple rescued victims could be shuttled down the ladder at one time.
The ladder will also extend below a horizontal position. This would allow a rescue, for instance, from the center of the river or a rushing stream.
The 2000 gallons-per-minute pumping capacity of the ladder nozzle produces enough pressure that “you can cut plywood with it,” Thomas said.
The truck also has multiple safety features to protect firefighters while it is being set up and used, and the 510 horsepower engine will allow it to easily handle Fannin’s steep terrain.
Thomas said a select group of firefighters are now being trained to drive and operate the truck. While the department has its own standards for this training, Thomas said, “We’re going above and beyond” these to meet national training standards.
Costing about $1.7 million, $900,000 came from a grant and the remainder from Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds. It replaces the department’s current ladder truck that is over 40 years old. Under the terms of the grant, that truck will be taken out of service.
Commission Chairman Jamie Hensley said the old ladder truck “wouldn’t service what we’ve got to serve now.”