Last year the community approved a $16 million bond issue to continue the implementation of the community-created SAFE-T plan.
Since then, the District has purchased new equipment and placed orders for a new fleet of fire trucks as recommended by local residents.
The new thermal imaging cameras, which help firefighters see through the dark smoke of a fire, arrived this winter. “The new cameras are easier to use in a fire and provide more information that can help save lives. They can also record audio and video, which serves as an invaluable resource for training and fire investigation,” CCFR Chief Dan Aubuchon says.
The District ordered six new fire trucks from Pierce Manufacturing that are planned to arrive this fall. CCFR trucks respond to more than 6,000 calls every year, and the current fleet was 13 years old.
“Our maintenance costs were skyrocketing, and the aging trucks were having trouble keeping up with the number of calls we respond to,” Aubuchon says.
A nine-member apparatus committee spent more than a year and a half working with Pierce to custom design the new fire trucks, making sure they best met the needs of the CCFR community and firefighters.
“The new trucks are custom built for CCFR and will improve our emergency response capabilities,” Aubuchon says.
Each station will receive a new pumper, and the new aerial ladder truck will be housed at Fire Station #4, 1259 Cave Springs Blvd.
Because of proper planning and involvement with a purchasing cooperative, CCFR was able to purchase the trucks using 2013 pricing. This saved the District approximately $1 million on the $4.98 million purchase.
New hydraulic rescue tools, also known as jaws of life, have been ordered and will be in service soon. Several of the District’s fire stations are also slated for updates, leadership is developing final plans for updating and renovating four of the six fire stations.
New CCFR Pumper Fire Trucks
- Open-air cabin configuration provides better visibility and helps firefighters prepare faster upon arrival on the scene
- Improved ergonomics make it easier to access the truck and equipment.
- Smaller, more maneuverable design makes it easier to operate and reduces fuel costs
- Updated design holds more equipment and makes it easier to access life-saving tools
- Features a 600-gallon water tank and state-of-the-art firefighting foam distributing system