FL Fire Department to Unveil New Apparatus

July 17, 2019
Lakeland Fire Department's Engine 51 comes with clean-cab features, such as high-impact HVAC filtration, warm-water rinse availability and easier-to-clean interior surfaces.

LAKELAND, FL—A new, shiny engine will be coming to the Lakeland Fire Department — and the community is invited for the ceremony.

"New Engine 51 is the department's first clean-cab concept apparatus, and is the first of its kind in the department's effort to protect its firefighters from unnecessary exposure to carcinogens," LFD spokesperson Janel Vasallo said in a media release.

A welcome event for the new engine will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 5 at Fire Station 5, 3101 Lakeland Highlands Road.

The community will get to see the new features of the truck and attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony in its honor.

The new fire engine, which is loaded with several new protections for firefighters as part of the department's safety and health initiatives, will replace the existing Engine 51 as part of the department's regularly scheduled replacement cycle, said Vasallo.

The engine is manufactured by Pierce Manufacturing Inc. of Bradenton. According to its website, Pierce saw the need to roll out clean-cab features in an effort to help reduce immediate and lingering carcinogen exposure risks by creating easier-to-clean seat and interior surfaces, high-impact HVAC filtration for reduced particle circulation, warm-water rinse availability and other features.

Keith Tyson, vice president of education and research for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network, said, "Research has shown that firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher mortality rate than the general U.S. population."

Replacement of the engine is cost neutral, according to the LFD.

Refreshments and tours will be available. Children are welcome and also will get goodies from the fire department.

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©2019 The Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.)

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