The new station will be called the Middle River Volunteer Fire & Rescue Co. Officials with the stations said the merger will allow them to enhance service to the community, consolidate fundraising activities, better meet the needs of residents and help expand a declining volunteer membership.

Officials said they will continue to use their current stations, located a short distance apart, until a permanent home can be built along the Eastern Avenue corridor in Middle River over the next three to five years.

"This allows us to expand resources and grow across the board," said Paul Sullivan Jr., current president of Middle River Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Co. and assistant chief of Middle River Volunteer Fire & Rescue Co. "There was a lot of tradition and history on both sides and we won't forget that with this merger. This move was necessary ro ensure we both remain self-sustaining in the long-term."

Merging nearby companies was one of the recommendations listed in a 206-page report commissioned last year by the Baltimore County Volunteer Firemen’s Association. The report highlighted dwindling membership, rising costs and tension with the Baltimore County Fire Department as some of the issues that could impact the long-term future of many of the county’s volunteer stations.

The Covington City Council set aside funds in the 2015-2016 budget to cover the $499,953 price tag and in July 2015 awarded the contract to the low bidder, Williams Fire Apparatus of Ashland, Ala. The Sutphen vehicle replaces a 1993 model.

New safety features noted by Bowles include the truck’s ability to pump 2,000 gallons of water per minute, more than the rate pumped by the department’s current fleet of trucks. The truck has a 750 gallon water tank, while the trucks on hand hold 500 gallons.

Headsets and an intercom system will allow riders in the truck to communicate with each other without interference from outside noises, Bowles said. The truck has better capabilities to navigate in snow. An attack hose is coiled on the front bumper, also a new feature.

The cab has frontal impact airbags, a backup camera and increased storage space, a bonus for firefighters who pack much equipment to do their work and, according to Bowles, have complained in the past about lack of adequate storage space.

“Nothing is mechanical on this truck. Everything is electronic,” the chief said. “All-in-all the technology is a great improvement. We are going to be the pride of Covington.”