The new truck sports a 107 foot ladder, which will make it one of the tallest ladder trucks in the area.

The truck comes to the city at a cost of over $700,000, after the passage of a sales tax question over a year ago. The sales tax question passed in April 2015 by a 57% margin, and was allocated for the truck, new construction of restroom facilities at Central Park, and a new street shop.

This marks the first of four upcoming projects for the city over the next few years. Billy Trammel, an engineer with the City of Lawton, says Fire Station #8 is the first new fire station since station #5 was completed in 2004 and the first additional station since station #7 was built in 1980.

“Fire Station #8 represents the first of three new fire stations to be constructed over the next three years.  All of these projects are a direct reflection of the needs and desires of the citizens of Lawton,” Trammel said.

The new fire station will be built along Southwest Bishop Road between Southwest 52nd Street and 67th Street. The station will give citizens living in southwest Lawton a faster fire and EMS service response time once finished.

Trammel says a design is being put together for a new station to replace Fire Station #2 at Southwest 17th Street and Bishop Road; construction should start early 2017. 

The City also turned over a fire truck each to Barangays Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, Suba and Quiot. The vehicles are worth P3.5 million each.

Their purchase was charged to this year’s disaster fund.

At present, 26 lowland barangays already have their own fire trucks and fire volunteer brigades.

Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Dave Tumulak led the blessing and turnover ceremony of the firefighting vehicles yesterday in front of City Hall, in time for the celebration of the first Engineering Week organized by the Department of Engineering and Public Works.

Tumulak said the P60-million fire truck with an aerial ladder, which can reach buildings taller than 22 floors, is due for delivery from abroad.

Morale booster

“These fire trucks will boost the morale of the Cebuanos because the City is already capable of supporting out firefighters. In case of fire, they can easily control it because we have enough fire trucks. We are giving back the taxes of our people through buying fire equipment for their safety,” Tumulak said.

Asked about the timing of the turnover, considering it’s days before elections on May 9, Tumulak reiterated Rama’s earlier stand that politics is not involved in the distribution.

“We need to give it right away because these vehicles are essential to the public and will serve the residents of the city,” he pointed out.

The new paramedic designation, which was received this week from the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency, enables the engine to respond to a call without an ambulance and treat a wider array of medical cases including asthma, a heart attack and broken bones.

San Marino Fire Chief Mario Rueda, who was very enthusiastic about Engine 91’s new paramedic capabilities, attributed the department’s successful transition to the “good hearts and good brains” of the department’s fire fighters.

“We’ve raised the bar on hiring,” said Chief Rueda, noting that all new hires must have paramedic and firefighter credentials.

SMFD’s firefighters each have 1,500 hours of paramedic training and receive an additional eight hours of continuing education every month from the UCLA Paramedic School.

Paramedic Coordinator and Firefighter/Paramedic Jeff Tsay said Engine 91’s added capability will be helpful in situations when an ambulance is out of the station and another call comes in, which was the case during the time of this interview.