The Uplander, which was driven by 48-year-old Jerry Gates, also of Live Oak, was stopped in the westbound lane waiting to turn into a private lane, the report states.

According to the report, Daley failed to observe the van stopped in traffic and rear-ended the Uplander.

"Here in Windsor, 80 percent of our fires are brush fires," Mundy said. "We got this new truck to increase our firefighter capabilities."

The truck was built by off-road experts with Howe & Howe Technologies Inc. for extreme situations and absolute reliability, according to the businesses website.

"Our old brush truck started out as Tahlequah's and Cherokee County's first rescue truck in 1980 and was considered one of the sharpest trucks in the state. Together, this truck and its equipment and the men who responded with it for over 20 years, saved many lives, and back then, we responded throughout the whole county due to the fact no one else had rescue tools," said Hammons.

The new trucks have higher water pumping capacity, higher weight capacity and state of the art safety systems.

"I want to make sure that our community knows that obviously public safety is the number one area that we have to invest in our budget and these purchases reflect a commitment from Chief Frederick, Chief Doug Hamilton (and) myself," said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.

Emery died at the scene, he said.

"This was completely unavoidable for that truck and that driver," Carpenter said.

The driver of the fire truck, Lafayette fire Sgt. Doug Newhart, and his passenger, Lafayette fire Lt. Mike Blann, were not injured in the crash, Fire Chief Richard Doyle said.