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Extreme Makeover: Refurbished Fire Trucks Save Escambia $1.6 Million
January 20, 2012
Escambia County has seven like-new refurbished fire trucks in service, including five in the immediate North Escambia area — with the refurbished models saving the county over a million and a half dollars versus new.
In late 2010, the Escambia County Commission authorized $2,147,586 to refurbish six “commercial pumpers”, to refurbish one 75-foot aerial truck and to purchase one 2011 model 78-foot aerial truck.
Two fire trucks from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and one each from McDavid, Molino, Beulah and Innerarity Point were completely refurbished and returned to their respective home stations during the last few weeks.
The 1991 model trucks were stripped down and completely rebuilt from the tires up, including new electronic pumps, new bodies, new paint and new lights. The process is estimated to add another 20 years to the expected life of each truck.
“It’s just like a new truck,” Century District Fire Chief Regi Burkett said, adding that Escambia County saved about $1.6 million by choosing to refurbish rather than buy new.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue received a refurbished 1991 75-foot ladder truck that was formerly assigned to Ensley. The Ensley Station received a 2011 78-foot aerial truck.
While there are few multi-story buildings in North Escambia, Burkett said that Century’s ladder truck will prove useful for rescues and for reaching over a large square footage building.
Pictured above: Newly refurbished Escambia Fire Rescue trucks together at the Walnut Hill Fire Station. From the left, Engine 1814 – Molino, Engine 911 – McDavid, Engine 1512 – Walnut Hill, Ladder 5 – Century, Engine 1511 – Walnut Hill, Engine 214 – Beulah, and Engine 812- Innerarity Point. Pictured below: Century’s newly refurbished 75-foot ladder truck. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
12 Responses to “Extreme Makeover: Refurbished Fire Trucks Save Escambia $1.6 Million”
Sandra, Century’s new Ladder is the frfurbished Ladder 6 fron the Ensley Station. While it does have attack lines and pumping capabilities, the pump and on board water supply primarly flow from the ladder mounter waterway. That truck can flow water from the tip of the extended ladder and the tip can be controled from the ground. That can help at a large or multi story building when Firefighters can’t gain access for whateven reason.
Ensley was given the NEW ladder truck.
LOOKS LIKE THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT THE WALNUT FIRE HOUSE RIGHT NEXT TO THE SCHOOL BUS MECHANIC SHOP ON HWY 97 , JUST PAST THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM PROUD TO HEAR THE COUNTY ACTED ON THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE TAXPAYERS . THE REFERB. UNITS ARE JUST AS GOOD AND SAVED US A HUGE AMOUNT. THIS IS THE TYPE OF ACTIONS WE NEED TO TAKE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY TO HELP SAVE MONEY. THE EQUIPMENT AT THE LANDFILL ,COUNTY WORK TRUCKS ETC. LAST WEEK I SAW A OLD FIRE TRUCK THAT HAD THE BODY REPLACED TO MAKE INTO A FUEL TRUCK FOR COUNTY ROAD EQUIPMENT. LOVE IT. NO REASON TO BUY NEW IF YOU CAN MAKE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY. THANK YOU KEVIN WHITE AND ALL OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT SAW FIT TO SAVE US SOME MONEY !!!
‘Sandra’ Pumper trucks with ladders are very important. Poarch has a similar piece of equipment but it’s a little more high tech. The ladder on it has a Knuckle in it allowing it more maneuverability. I have seen Poarch’s truck used up at the mill when it caught fire. You can reach places with it that men on the ground can’t get close to. I think North Escambia has an article about that truck with a picture of it at the mill…
The fire folks deserve the best working equiptment. This was a good idea by the county to get the upgrades without having to buy all new trucks. All these truck new would have cost the county 12-16 million combined.
Who ever come up with this plan would be a good candidate to run the equestrian center.
Understood. I still dont know why Century’s fire district needs such a piece of equipment. Nobody buys quints anymore and I suspect that the county probably only bought this monstrosity originally because it was a lower priced demo truck. If it was spec’d out and purchased through normal channels then the spec committee was stoned.
Sandra — The Town of Century does not have a fire department. It’s the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue — part of the county system.
Hard to tell by the pictures but it looks like the refurbisheded aerial is a quint. Quints (aerials with pumping capabilities) are seldom used in that capacity and are a major headache to keep up with mechanically. I really dont understand why the town of Century would opt for the expense and upkeep of this type of apparatus just so, as the chief put it “they could reach over a large building’. On the other hand it’s good to see our guys getting good quality equipment to handle the many fires and rescues around here.
Brand new trucks, just put the old bodys back on them.
Curious to know if each truck taken out of service and refurbished one at a time or all at once?
Would actually be fun to refurbish and update a firetruck versus an old car.
Ya don’t have to deal with the greasy, dirty, rusty mess that comes with a car that old.
This was an excellent use of the money! I’m glad to see the money spent on something that is really needed. Our firemen risk their lives for people and they deserve the right (and good) equipment to do it with! Thank you to all the firemen everywhere for all that you do! I hope the refurbished trucks will be more useful than the older version.
Just Curious — the photo at top of the page was taken from the extended ladder on Century’s old ladder truck
I’m only slightly familar with the Walnut Hill fire department, but I can’t picture where the top photo above was taken from. I don’t remember anything that tall there to be up in the air like that.