Mayor Steve Williams announced the probe on Monday during a meeting in which residents complained about fire department equipment issues.  

Both of the department's ladder trucks are out of service, and another truck broke down last week because it was 14 quarts low on oil. Two department water rescue vessels are also out of service. Neighboring county fire departments are assisting while repairs are being made.

The new truck has been in the works for nearly six years, and the fire department received it on Jan. 29. Research for the truck started back in 2012 and the first meeting with the manufacturer took place in 2016.

Due to the small bay that the fire station had, the truck had to be custom built to be able to fit through the door.The truck will be replacing the one the department purchased in 1996 as a heavy rescue truck. The older truck will be primarily used for firefighting purposes.

Over the past ten years, the department has struggled to ensure its equipment meets the need, especially when it comes to the department’s ladder trucks, said Dean.  

Committee Chair Charles Allen said he was “increasingly anxious” about the supply of ladder trucks.  

Later in the discussion, Dean gave an inventory of the department’s equipment.

The engine features a Hale Qmax 1,500 gpm pump and holds 1,000 gallons of water. The new truck also sports a new feature that other fire trucks in West Hancock County don’t have: an on-board foam system that can dispense 30 gallons of foam with the touch of a button.  

The custom truck also has two battery-powered jaws of life: one for cutting into a vehicle and another for opening the vehicle up faster and more efficiently.The $483,000 price tag may seem like a lot but Chief Sigur said the new gear was a long-time coming.