Justin Strawser
The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
(TNS)
MIFFLINBURG — Firefighters from Mifflinburg Hose Company started training on Friday after the arrival of the department’s new ladder truck.
The 2025 Sutphen Tower 3 arrived at the fire company at 325 Chestnut St. on Thursday, and firefighters will be training with a representative of Sutphen in the parking lot of Harvest Bible Church through Sunday. The truck will then head to Sutphen East in Lake Ariel in Wayne County where it will have all of its tool mounting installed.
“Upgrading our ladder truck will better serve the community for many years to come,” Company President Shawn Bridge said. “This will be here for at least the next 30 years.”
The fire company ordered a 100-foot aerial ladder truck for $1.6 million and a new engine truck for $830,000 in November 2022. The two trucks replace a 1999 70-foot ladder truck and a 2006 engine truck.
In addition to a ladder that’s 30 feet longer, the new truck has more compartment space. The overall length of the truck is also 10 feet longer than the old truck. The new engine truck has a 2,000-gallon-per-minute pump and a 1,000-gallon tank, Bridge said.
“We will now be able to reach anything in the borough or our coverage area,” he said.
The trucks are funded through $1.4 million worth of money through fundraisers and capital campaigns. The remaining costs are funded through a 2 percent, 20-year loan designated for first responders from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner and an additional loan from Service 1st Federal Credit Union.
The training over the weekend consists of learning each part of the truck, getting acclimated to the new controls, driving it and getting used to the new setup. Adam Brooks, of Sutphen, will lead several three-hour training sessions for 77 active firefighters, which includes 13 qualified operators.
Brooks told the firefighters on Friday that driving the truck is like driving a school bus. It has a tighter turning radius than the previous truck.
“Always be mindful,” he told them. “If you’re on a 90-degree turn, always know what’s on the other side. You’ll be doing a lot of two-point turns, especially the way the fire house is set up (on Chestnut Street).”
The Mifflinburg Borough Council intends to pursue a setback or sloped curb/sidewalk project on the opposite side of the street from the fire company to allow fire trucks to more easily maneuver backing into the station house.
Following this weekend’s training and tool mounting installation, the ladder truck will head to the Fire Expo in Harrisburg to be featured as part of the Sutphen vendor. It’s expected to be in service by June, Bridge said.
The new engine truck is expected to be in the borough by May. The old trucks will be sold, Bridge said.
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