Fire Chief Scott Hughes said the new truck will allow them to retire a 24-year-old pumper housed at the Highway 96 North fire station.

He reported they have trouble finding parts for old one, the air is out, and it takes ten minutes for the air to build up in the brakes so they can get in route to calls.

“The plan is to sell that one, take 10-year-old pumper, that is our first responding one now, move it out as a secondary and use this one as first in service,” explained Hughes.

The department plans to purchase the pumper from a co-operative out of New Jersey, who will build the truck over 390 days with estimated delivery in late 2018 or early 2019.

It replaces a 1989 engine and was purchased through a $500,000 FEMA grant. The city paid $23,809.

In a news release, the unit is described as a state-of-the-art engine, able to pump 1,500 gallons per minute, and holds 500 gallons of water. 

Central Taney County Fire Protection District covers about 220 square miles in Taney County. When out on a call, Fire Chief Doug Bower says communication is key.

"That's our lifeline. It's just like the cops, you know, they depend on being able to talk to each other," Bower said. "We have to be able to talk to each other when we are out on a call. Not knowing what's going on on the other side might be somebody's life on the line."

The district runs a radio system that's about 15 years old. The chief says especially in terms of technology, it's certainly time for an upgrade.

Deputy Fire Chief Mike Nixon said the fire, which broke out around 6 p.m. in the kitchen area of the Allen Avenue fire station, caused moderate damage to the kitchen and smoke damage throughout the one-story building, which houses the Ladder 4 and Medcu 4 fire companies. Nixon said it made sense to have an independent agency take a look at the cause.