The new truck 12 has some updated features from the old truck 12. For example, "With the understanding of cancer in the fire service, we've got extra compartments on the truck so that we can actually stow our fire equipment on it rather than wear it in the apparatus after we get out of a house fire," explains firefighter Chad Kuhlman.

A memorial for a former RFD firefighter, Captain Peter Mackey, who died in the line of duty, is printed on the side of the truck. "If we don't know where we came from, we don't know where we're going and as far as we're concerned, honoring the remembrance of peter mackey is important to us in the sense that every time we get into this truck, we can see his name and remember what the job means," says Kuhlman.

Officials said the truck, Quint 27, arrived from Florida and will replace an "ailing and dated" vehicle.

The $837,214 truck is described as a "E One HP 78 Quint on a Typhoon Chassis." It will be able to carry 500 gallons of water.

Following months of feasibility studies, public information meetings and planning from town officials, Needham voters overwhelmingly approved Ballot Question 4 at the midterm elections on Nov. 6 by a margin of 5,410 votes, thus securing $70 million to fund the reconstruction of the police and fire station and fire station no. 2.

“I think that this is big. This vote of confidence from the voters is very important to us and we’re really looking forward to getting started,” said Chair of the Select Board Dan Matthews. “The idea is to get moving right away so we can do all the phasing in exactly the way we told the voters we would.”

The grant was given to the department through Texas A&M Forest Service's Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

"Most vehicle accidents in our area are on country roads and sometimes include rescuing cattle as well as the driver," said Chief Steven Wentrcek. "The new air bags will lift a vehicle, even an 18-wheeler. The struts will help keep the vehicle stabilized and everyone safe while we use the extrication tools for rescue."

The grant will allow seven volunteers to attend a big rig extrication class where they will learn about the new advanced tools purchased with the grant.