The Kamsack Volunteer Fire Department took delivery of a new firetruck on June 27, which is being put into service as the brigade’s Pumper No. 6.
The unit, acquired from Rocky Mountain Phoenix of Red Deer, Alta., is a 2018 Rosenbauer TME Commercial International Pumper on a four-door Freightliner chassis.
The unit will replace the current Pumper No. 5 which was acquired in 1992, said Ken Thompson, fire chief. Pumper No. 5 will replace the old 1971 Thibault pumper that is being retired.
The sales representative from Rocky Mountain Phoenix provided an orientation and pump training before Pumper 6 was loaded with equipment.
Kamsack residents should be pleased that none of their municipal tax money is going to pay for this unit, Thompson said. It is a leased unit and the lease payments are being made from the department’s fire call arrangements with neighbouring jurisdictions.
Asked about other features of the new vehicle, Thompson described its built-in Foam Pro System that allows firefighters to readily dispense foam for gasoline fires. He said it has more lighting, is more user-friendly and has more seating capacity in the cab.
The truck has a larger capacity water tank, he said. It can carry 1,000 gallons.
“We’re getting it fully set up and then we’ll be placing various red-and-white decals on it,” he said.