Klein explained the various changes that have been implemented into the new fire truck, which is a Pierce engine customized by Sensible Products Inc. out of Richfield. "We had a 1990 fire engine that we replaced and a 1999 fire heavy squad. It was one of the those things that the heavy squad needed to be replaced."

Klein said when considering the cost it would have taken to replace the heavy squad truck alone, the division was fortunate to have been able to purchase the new truck for the price. The chief estimates that by itself, a heavy squad truck would have cost between $500,000-$700,000, while the cost of the new engine, which effectively does the role of two pieces of equipment, was $700,000.

Most of the time, purchasing old, outdated equipment is something that is a fact of life for most volunteer fire departments and not something that gets the firefighters excited.

Most of the time, that equipment isn't nearly a century old and represents the long history of Two Harbors and its volunteer fire department.

Recently, however, an antique 1922 Waterous fire engine built in St. Paul and purchased by the Two Harbors Volunteer Fire Department in 1923 was found in Grand Rapids, Mich., and former chief Bob Sellman purchased the engine and gave it back to the department.

The need to replace the department's headquarters has been apparent for decades. As you might recall, that old building was simply too small for a modern department. The electrical system was inadequate. It was filled with mold that potentially posed a health risk to the firefighters inside.