Pembroke Pines officials are hoping two newly ordered fire vehicles will last longer than the city's current equipment.
The Fire Department will spend nearly $500,000 for a water pumper truck and a medical rescue ambulance, both with updated functions that may help boost longevity. Both will be replacements for vehicles now on the road.
The pumper, which will cost $344,916, will carry the standard 500 gallons of water but will be more sturdy and mobile.
"There is a heavy-duty suspension to withstand wear and tear better," Fire Marshal Dave Raines said. "It will also have a better turn radius and be more maneuverable in smaller spaces than the other trucks."
The new rescue ambulance, costing $154,983, will be similar to the others used by Pembroke Pines except for the air-conditioning component.
"It will have a split air-conditioning system which will help make the cooling system more reliable," Raines said. "One recurring maintenance problem is related to the air conditioning. We are hoping this will limit our AC problems."
Air will be provided separately to fire personnel in the front cab and patients in the back of the ambulance.
"If the AC is down [now] the truck is down, but with the split system if there is no AC for the fire personnel you can still use the truck," said Raines, who added that the new vehicle will be the department's first with this type of system. "It will be less wear and tear and have a better lifespan on the AC."
The split air-conditioning system will be an important addition because the state requires that patients have an air-conditioned environment, Raines said.
"It's vital in South Florida. If you take a patient with a heart condition and introduce them into a warm environment, it can have a detrimental affect on the patient's condition," he said.
The City Commission approved the purchases last week. Both vehicles are expected to be delivered in October and start responding to emergencies by December, according to Raines.
The new units will help maintain the department's Class 1 ranking with the national Insurance Services Office, he said.
The independent office grades fire departments on its personnel, training, equipment, location of stations, water lines and fire hydrants and other elements of the total operation. Insurance companies use the ratings to help set premiums.
The water pumper, to be bought from Pierce Manufacturing Inc. in Appleton, Wis., will carry extrication tools and advanced life support equipment but cannot transport patients. The city has six of these vehicles, one at each of the six fire stations.
The new medical rescue vehicle will be purchased from American LaFrance MedicMaster in Sanford. The city currently has seven rescue ambulances, two of which respond from one station.
