Chief Allen said the new vehicle is a good buy for the city, especially considering it’s expected to be the LFD’s most-used vehicle for the next two decades.

“This pumper is high-tech,” Allen said. “It will provide a great deal of added safety to the firefighter/paramedics who are using it as well as to the citizens it is serving. Its technology will help with extending the life of the vehicle and making maintenance and upkeep more proficient.”

At more than 18,000 square feet, the proposed station would be the largest in the city, but some residents of the area have expressed concern about its proximity to elementary school.

"We took a look at this and we've been watching," Stoudt said. "There is some light unloading [of students] on the Penn Street side [of the school], and we'll work with the school district and the principal of the school here to address the concerns."

Deputy Chief T.J. Wyssmann, of the fire department, said in the 16 years he has worked there they have conducted three grain bin rescues.

“This type of technical rescue takes specialized equipment, which is called a cofferdam — or a grain bin rescue tube. Once we get the gear around a victim... inside of the grain bin, we then put an auger inside the bin and remove the product,” Wyssmann said.

This type of equipment can cost around $3,500 Wyssmann said.

Thanks to Mid Kansas Coop, of Moundridge, and PrarieLand Partners in McPherson, the department will be able to purchase the equipment. The two companies gave $1,887 each, which came out to $3,755 total.

The crew using Engine 1 had just finished washing the rig and went inside the station for EMS training when the driver of the SUV struck the engine.

"Thank goodness they weren't still out there!" read the post.

The driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital, according to a fire official in Staunton.

The Brush Truck 8 model presented a challenge for Sylvester because of the large amount of customization it required. It’s also the most current model — the only replica of his that depicts a vehicle still on the fire department’s roster.

Indeed, Brush Truck 8 started as an average pickup truck model Sylvester bought from a hobby shop and assembled.

Sylvester painted the plastic model, even adding bronze-colored rust on the undercarriage.