For the first time in 16 years, Cosumnes Fire Department’s Station 45 has a new fire engine, galtheraldonline.com reported.

Besides its gray and red color scheme, the Pierce Manufacturing Enforcer engine is different from its predecessor because it has extrication equipment on board, the report said. Before the arrival of this engine, a fire official said, the closest extrication equipment was in Elk Grove.

Fire department personnel celebrated the new engine December 28 with a traditional push-in ceremony, literally pushing it into the station’s garage.

Dorchester County is spending millions of dollars to upgrade its fire infrastructure, and two new fire stations are expected to open up later this year, live5news.com reported.

Construction continues on a new station facing Ladson Road, which is expected to be open in May and will be home to both firefighters and paramedics, the report said. The previous station was demolished in March 2022 to make way for the new station. The $3.3 million station will feature three bays and can hold up to 12 people, according to Dorchester County Fire Rescue.

While the station was being built, the county received the OK to occupy a new volunteer fire station on Sandridge Road near St. George, the report said.

Costing just under $300,000, the volunteer station is expected to cut the insurance premiums of locals by about half, according to the report. That station can be moved into in a couple of weeks.

Beyond those two stations, the fire department is looking at building another station near Summers Corner and moving the Jedburg station to a different location, the report said.

After receiving unanimous approval at the November Gonzales City Council meeting, the fire department last month ordered a new Pierce Enforcer pumper fire truck from Siddons-Martin Emergency Group, GonzalesInquirer.com reported.

The new fire truck will replace Engine 37, a 2008 Pierce Sabor, which has seen increased maintenance costs and liability — and has even caught fire twice, the report said.

The new pumper is being purchased through the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Purchasing Program for a total cost of $853.093. The purchase will be financed through the Government Capital Corporation at 4.895-percent interest over the course of eight years at a cost of $132,202.75 per year.

Time of delivery is expected to be between 29-30 months from the date of order.