The Prattville Fire Department has placed an order for the $726,905 truck from NAFECO/KME. Along with offering the ladder, the truck will serve as a first out pumper, said Fire Chief Terry Brown.
"Most departments are buying fire apparatus now that can serve multiple roles," he said. "That way you have what you need when you arrive at a scene, and you don't have to dispatch another unit once you get there."
The "new" truck is actually a demo model. Before being delivered the unit will be recertified. Going the demo route saved the city about $130,000 over buying a newly manufactured unit, Brown said.
The new truck will replace Truck 14, which will roll over to reserve status. Truck 14 is a 20-year-old aerial platform able to extend 95 feet. When the city bought the truck, it wasn't without controversy. There were questions among then city council members about the need for such a piece of equipment and the cost. In 1996 the truck cost $600,000. Replacing it now with a newer model would set the city back about $1.2 million, the chief said.