MOUNT STERLING — The city has added a new fire engine to its ranks.
The Mount Sterling Fire Department bought a 2021 E-One Custom Cab pumper engine, which arrived at the end of last month. It is replacing a 1994 truck that will be moved into reserve use.
The new fire engine will not be used immediately, as it still needs to be fully equipped. Afterward, the department will go through at least 30 days of training with it before it can be officially put in action.
The new engine is outfitted with the latest technologies, according to Fire Chief Brian J. Gallaher. It can put out 1,500 gallons a minute of water. Its custom cab holds six firefighters — the old one could carry two comfortably — and it has five Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses hooked up to the seats so crew members can be ready to go as soon as they leave the truck. The cab has better protection for passengers in the event of a crash and there is increased compartment space for tools and equipment.
A grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency helped foot $430,000 of the $500,000 bill. The remaining $70,000 was split evenly between the fire department and the Brown County Fire Protection District. Modifications to the fire engine were paid for through fundraisers.
Gallaher said the department is “very excited” to have the new truck and had been looking forward to upgrading from its older model for several years. He also said the department had a hand in choosing the features and deciding the layout of the truck, so it would be built to firefighters’ specifications.
“We’re really excited about them for that reason,” Gallaher said, “because we’ve been able to be a part of building that truck and have it set up the way they want it set up to do what we need it to do.”
