A new fire truck was delivered to the fire station in Hopkins Monday to kick off National Community Development Week in Richland County. The truck was purchased with Community Development Block Grant funds, federal dollars that support programs and projects to improve local neighborhoods.
The Richland County Council approved the $422,000 purchase for Fire Station #23, located at 1631 Clarkson St. in the southeastern part of the county, in April 2015. The truck was built over an eight-month period by Rosenbauer America, a fire truck and response vehicle manufacturer in Lyons, S.D.
Between 2014 and 2015, Fire Station #23 responded to 370 calls in the rural community of Hopkins. Many of those fires left homes uninhabitable. County officials said the pumper truck, which can pull water from other sources besides a fire hydrant, can help mitigate damage.
"If you have a water source, you could put more water on the fire," said Aubrey Jenkins, chief of the Columbia Fire Department.
The new, custom-built fire truck can take water from ponds and can pump 1,500 gallons of water per minute, Jenkins said, adding that the vehicle also has a safer cab that can protect firefighters in case of a rollover.