Jaeger said the Philadelphia-based fire department "has a very small operating budget" and couldn't afford to buy a new fire truck. "So this is going to help us out immensely with our emergency responses," he said.

BASF, which operates a large chemical plant east of Palmyra near the Mississippi River, used the fire truck as part of its emergency response unit in case a fire, hazardous material spill or other emergency were to occur.

Peter Waddington, site manager for BASF, said the company recently reviewed its safety equipment and decided to buy a new fire truck better suited for the plant's specific needs.

"We are always looking for ways to improve what we do," he said.

"The truck that we're talking about has been working here for a long time, and it's actually served us pretty well. But from a technical point of view, the truck is actually better suited for a more agricultural service rather than industrial. So we looked to get ourselves a different type of truck that is more suited to our particular needs."

Since it no longer needed the old fire truck, the company decided to offer it a local fire department in need of equipment. "We realized this could be of great service to them," Waddington said.

As the department deals with around $3.7 million in budget cuts, Smith said they hope the program will generate around $250,000. 

"Rather than having to cut into our operational side that can impact our 911 response, we like to be able to create revenue streams that will allow us to work on the education side," he said. 

Engine 203 already features messaging from the Mesa Chamber of Commerce that reads, “It’s Everyone’s Business to Stop the Spread of the Flu.” President and CEO Sally Harrison said several of the chamber's 850 members are interested in the fire truck sponsorships.