A 1996 truck that was involved in the April 13, 2015, accident that killed a 26-year-old Kingston Springs woman was declared totaled by the insurance company and had to be replaced.

The wreck was not the fault of the fire department.

At the time of the accident, Walker said the truck that was damaged was almost 20 years old and would need to be replaced in a few years anyway.

The multi-purpose truck will have all the equipment the department needs to respond to fires, accidents and other emergencies.

Howland Fire Chief James Pantalone says the grant will be used to replace older models of front line fire apparatus to include improved self-contained breathing apparatus packs, bottles, face pieces and voice amplifiers.

“As the annual capital fund budgets of fire departments decrease, these grants continue to assist with keeping fire departments budget in the black and keeps firefighters safe on the job,” said Chief Pantalone.

The goal of the AFG program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and emergency medical service organizations.

Operations and Safety grants can be used for professional training, wellness and fitness programs equipment, personal protective equipment, modifications to facilities, and supplies that support firefighting and non-affiliated EMS operations and safety.

SDFRD officials said lights and sirens were on as the fire engine was traveling westbound on 40th. The crew was on its way to a fuel spill.

Central Electric Cooperative in Mitchell applied for a grant on behalf of the fire department through the United States Department of Agriculture.

The cooperative received a $212,000 rural economic development grant to turn into a zero percent interest loan for the fire department.

On Saturday, the fire department will be holding an open house for the community to check out the new fire truck and other new equipment. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the fire department in Woonsocket.

The fire department received the truck last November, according to Fire Chief Travis Coulthard. It replaced a 33-year-old truck that no longer met fire standards.

Coulthard said the department had been looking at purchasing a new truck for the past couple years. The previous truck has been outdated and needed the upgrade.

The Woonsocket fire department has four trucks total, along with 27 volunteer firefighters, Coulthard said. The entire department is 100 percent volunteer.

The new truck has features the previous truck didn't, including some pump and roll capabilities, according to Coulthard.

The monthly payments from the fire department will go back into the rural electric economic development (REED) loan fund and made available for other economic development and community projects, according to Ken Schlimgen, the general manager at the Central Electric Cooperative.