The trucks are the first of six being added to the fire service that bear the bold black and red color scheme.

"I never in my life thought I would be listening to Isaac Hayes playing "Shaft" at the introduction of some fire equipment, but that's all right. That's OK,'' said Birmingham Mayor William Bell with a laugh.

In addition to the three ladder trucks, the department is also adding three pump trucks. They will be distributed throughout the city and designed specifically to meet the needs of the communities where they will be stationed. "What a day it has been,'' said Battalion Chief Tyrone Fornest. "We've spent truly a remarkable past few weeks in preparation for what we're about to see."

"There's a lot of excitement,'' said BFRS Chief Charles Gordon.

Bell said that when he interviewed Gordon for the chief's job more than two years ago, Gordon made a commitment to the mayor that he would do everything in his power to modernize the fire department to give them the tools they needed to best protect the citizens. "If you commit to me that you will change this fire department to make it one that can respond to any emergency with the best equipment, you have my total support,'' Bell said he told Gordon. "Today marks a down payment on that commitment."

Bell said the fire service is extremely important to the community. "It is the one department where there's little controversy because everybody depends on them whether their house is on fire, of they're having a heart attack. No matter the malady,'' he said. "It's (the citizens') tax dollars and we want you to know that it's being spent wisely, spent to protect you. When you pick up that phone and dial 911 and you say you need, you've got the best people coming with the best equipment."

Police say the two vehicles were in the intersection at the same time when they crashed. The ambulance flipped on its side and hit a nearby stoplight pole. 

AMT says the ambulance was not responding to a call or transporting a patient at the time, but two medis were inside. One person was in the other car. 

All three were taken to the hospital but are expected to be okay. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Bradley said the department's equipment has reached a point that it cannot adequately be maintained.

He also said that circumstance complicates the Gary Fire Department's efforts to adequately cover the city's territory, while also cooperating with fire departments in surrounding Indiana communities with which it has joint agreements.

The resolution being reviewed by the Common Council calls for $2.3 million to be provided by the city to make the purchase.

"How do you propose we pay for this?" asked Councilwoman Mary Brown, D-3rd.

Bradley said that some of the money could be produced by the Fire Department itself in the form of revenue from fees it charges people whenever paramedics rush to a scene to provide medical treatment or transport.

He said ambulance fees could produce a few hundred thousand dollars of the cost of new fire equipment and trucks.

Bradley said it is important for the Gary Fire Department to maintain the size of its fleet, even though the city has dropped in population significantly in recent decades.

There are four other fire stations at DIA but the new station was built to keep up with the growth at the busy airport. The fire station is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Kim Day, the CEO of DIA, led the opening ceremony and explained the station will support the record-breaking airport traffic. The main area of priority for the fire station is Pena Boulevard, the final approach lot and the new infrastructure anticipated for that corridor.

The fire station boasts 18,000 square feet of space which has been designed to look like an airport hangar. The station houses one engine and a truck but there are plans to add more equipment.

The station also has an on-site training area for firefighters along with typical fire station amenities like sleeping quarters, a lounge area and a kitchen