TX Fire Dept. Chooses Rapid Response Unit

March 18, 2018
Kilgore will purchase a smaller $203,000 vehicle instead of a $600,000 full-size pumper.

It’s come time to replace another Kilgore Fire Department apparatus, and the new addition will look a lot different – and travel quite a bit faster – than its predecessors.

Instead of a traditional fire engine, KFD is opting for a ‘multi-use rapid response vehicle,’ fire chief Johnny Bellows told council members Tuesday, at a third of the larger apparatus’ price, much of its capability and more than its maneuverability.

KFD has a stepped plan to replace vehicles as age and maintenance issues take their toll. For the next replacement in the cycle, the department followed a ‘novel’ path.

“In the U.S. we tend to lean heavily on our big, big, big shiny red fire trucks,” Bellows said Tuesday night. Other countries often utilize the more cost-effective, smaller alternative approved by council members here this week. “It’s only novel in the U.S. It’s been working elsewhere in the world for a while.”

Specially retrofitted with more equipment, larger tires and other changes from a traditional brush truck, the rapid response vehicle will be able to tackle brush fires, grass fires and off-road emergencies in addition to serving as a “first-in” firefighting apparatus.

It boasts an ultra-high pressure water system, Bellows said, at a final, fully-equipped price of $203,325 – compared to the $600,000 pricetag for a fire engine.

Rolling from Station 2, “If the fires aren’t overwhelming the structure, we’re going to be able to get this in and put them out quicker,” he noted. “It allows for faster response times just because of its size. It’s less wear and tear on our roadways and our driveways It allows for a quicker application of water to our structure fires.”

The City of Kilgore will carry the bulk of the cost, but the Rusk County Emergency Services District is covering 25 percent.

KFD requested bids from 15 manufacturers, Bellows added, and received five.

“We did visit all of these manufacturers. We got to see them, see how they operate,” he said, ultimately accepting Deep South Fire Trucks’ low bid. “We’re very happy with the way the bid came out. These guys, they worked hard to make it work,” developing a vehicle customized for KFD’s needs.

“There’s nothing exactly like this that we’ve found.”

It’s innovative, Mayor Ronnie Spradlin said.

“We look forward to seeing that.”

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©2018 the Kilgore News Herald (Kilgore, Texas)

Visit the Kilgore News Herald (Kilgore, Texas) at www.kilgorenewsherald.com

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