Instead of waiting months, city council decided to fast-track the purchase.

Fire Chief John Whelan said advancing the purchase also means the truck will be delivered in about one month, instead of waiting up to one year.

The city’s fleet of fire trucks includes eight Pierce trucks.

“They are top-of-the-line trucks with a great reputation. It generally takes more than 12 months to spec a truck out,” said Whelan, adding the trucks are built in Florida.

He said the department has purchased trucks from Darch Fire in the past.

“The serviceability is excellent. The truck is set up the same as other units and is compatible with our seven stations,” said the chief.

Hamilton said Spartan will look at "synergies" that would result from the purchase to determine what would happen to Smeal's manufacturing locations and employees.

She said combining the companies is expected to increase the overall business so there would be more production and the need for more employees overall.

Smeal's manufacturing locations are in Snyder and Neligh, Nebraska; Delavan, Wisconsin; and Ephrata, Pennsylvania.

Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., founded in 1963 by the late Donald Smeal, is owned by 50 Smeal family stakeholders. Smeal and his wife, Ardath, raised nine children.

The company buys about $30 million worth of chassis annually from Spartan and would add about $70 million to Spartan's annual revenue, Spartan said in a press release. The sale terms include forgiveness of money Smeal owes to Spartan for recent purchases.

In the press release, Smeal Chairman Rod Cerny said Spartan is "the perfect fit for Smeal, our customers, our employees and our operational leadership team, as we combine with a proven ally and industry leader to help solidify our future and preserve the legacy of the Smeal organization."