It's believed that while firefighters were searching the apartment complex for a possible injured person the suspect climbed up the rear of the fire engine. He ended up on top of the hose bed. He apparently rode the engine about 2 miles back to the station before he was found. Police say he's very lucky they weren't dispatched to an emergency call or the outcome could have been far more serious.

The demonstration showed the length of the rescue ladder along with an adjustable waterway with handles so firefighters can control the flow and direction of water.

The ceremony was held at Alamogordo's Fire Station No. 6, 3100 N. Florida Ave.

The new truck has a 75-foot quint ladder with a waterway that can flow 1500 gallons of water per minute to get those hard to reach places.  The new addition will provide emergency response to all areas of the community, but is designed specifically for responses to emergencies in the northern end of Alamogordo, So the primary district for fire truck No. 2 is everything north of 10th Street.

The vehicle is a 2016 Pierce Saber truck and was custom designed and engineered to meet the needs of the community.

The purchase of the vehicle was a major investment for fire safety for Alamogordo.  It was approved by the City Commission on Jan. 13, 2015 and cost $635,999. The funding came from a combination of city commission approved capital equipment replacement funds, state fire protection funding and state fire protection grant funding.

Ward said the grant program helped out tremendously in noticing there was a need in Alamogordo.

We baptize a truck coming into the station, going into service into a new beginning,” said Will Hamilton, assistant chief of the Sweet Home Fire Department.

The Arch Street Fire Department also took part in the ceremony as the fire engine was scrubbed down.

Chief Hamilton says it signifies all the area agencies pledging to help each other

Officials from the Kinsman Fire Department say they were notified last week that they have been awarded $295,000 through the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. 

The fire chief says the grant will be used to replace a nearly thirty-year-old rescue pumper.

The township will be responsible for 5% of the awarded amount.

This is the second grant awarded to the department within the last 6 months.

Last fall Kinsman firefighters received funding to replace outdated self contained breathing apparatus, bringing the total federal funding to $405,000.