Troy City Planner R. Brent Savidant said that the old fire station will remain open while construction on the new 10,500-square-foot structure is completed, then the old station will be demolished.

Matt Berge, architect for the project, told the Planning Commission that the design of the new facility is intended to integrate with the neighboring property.

The current station is 5,116 square feet -- the smallest fire station in the city.

During budget sessions in the spring of 2015, when the project was first considered, then-Fire Chief William Nelson, now retired, told the council that Station 4 is the second-busiest fire station in the city, and it is the only station to house a heavy rescue unit. The station was built in 1968 and was expanded in 1988.

The new fire station will include a training room, an exercise room, a kitchen, a three-truck apparatus bay, a 34-car parking lot, and screening and buffering along the east property line, which is adjacent to single-family homes.

There will be four parking spaces on the east side of the building to accommodate the first four volunteers who respond, park and load up the truck. The other spots are needed when the other the responders return to assist with the care of equipment after an event.

Chief Howard Mcfarlen said the cutting edge technology of this truck will help them get their mission done. He said, "This is the only ladder truck in production in the United States now that you can have that's over a hundred foot tall. But they designed it that it's light enough to go on a single axle."

One special feature of the truck is its battery operated ladder. Chief Mcfarlen said from a safety standpoint, this is a huge plus.

He said, "Normally, we have to send a person to the top to operate a single nozzle to spray water. The technology on this one, we can operate from the bottom. We're spraying water up there now."

Chief Mcfarlan says this truck will be known as "ladder two." It will service downtown Huntsville, which it's best suited for.

Chief Mcfarlen said, "It allows us to get in tight places around the inner city."

Narvaez, who is originally from Nicaragua, came to the United States in 1981 and has served with the Princeton Police Department as a patrolman for 22 years. He joined the 108th Wing in October 1992 and in 1999, he transferred to Security Forces, where he serves on the Commander's Support Staff.

"I've always felt compelled to help, it fulfills me as a human being, trying to make a difference," Narvaez said.

In 2014, Narvaez travelled to Nicaragua. While he was there, he visited the headquarters of the Benemerito Cuerpo de Bomberos - a group of volunteer firefighters located in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua.

"I saw that they were in dire need of serviceable fire trucks and equipment," said Narvaez. "I offered to help and get them assistance in the United States. I explained to them that I couldn't make any promises, but that I would try to do my best."

Narvaez talked to Ray Wadsworth, the former Fire Chief of Mercer Engine No. 3 in Princeton, N.J., and was able to get some coats, boots and hoses that had been slated for replacement. Like their counterparts in Nicaragua, the Princeton firefighters are also volunteers.

The Nicaraguan firefighters were grateful for the donated gear, but their need for a new truck remained. In 2015, an opportunity presented itself.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration informed mercer Engine No. 3 that they would have to replace two of their fire trucks. One of them, a 1982 Mack 1250 GPM pumper truck, could no longer be used because the open cab was considered a safety hazard.

"Mr. Wadsworth felt that one of the trucks could be donated," Narvaez said. "We began to work together and doing all that was required to get the truck from the city."

To get the ball rolling, Narvaez sent a letter to Robert Gregory, Princeton's director of emergency services, explaining how the retired truck could be put to good use in Latin America. Princeton responded by putting the truck up for a symbolic auction.

"They sold it to me for a dollar," Wadsworth said.

In addition to the truck, 13 sets of boots, six jackets, and 1,200 feet of two and a half inch hose were included.

"The truck is fully equipped, all it needs is for the tank to be filled with water," Wadsworth said.

"I also took a video of the truck, how to start it up; giving directions on how to operate it," Narvaez said. Now you can't just donate a fire truck to another country, there's a process for it and it involves the Denton Program.

The Denton Program, which is jointly administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, allows U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on military cargo aircraft to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need. U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton created the program as an amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The amendment states "the Secretary of Defense may transport to any country, without charge, supplies which have been furnished by a non-governmental source and which are intended for humanitarian assistance. Such supplies may be transported only on a space available basis." Since 1998, more than 5.6 million pounds of humanitarian supplies have been sent to more than 50 countries.