An alert was sent out to fire departments on Monday after the attack on the ambulance, which was stopped by ATV riders while transporting a child to Children's National Medical Center in Northwest D.C.

One of the ATV riders opened the door to the ambulance and accused the ambulance driver of cutting him off, according to D.C. police.

The ambulance driver called 911. It wasn't until police arrived that the ATVs dispersed and allowed the ambulance to continue, police said.

In a separate incident over the weekend, a D.C. police officer was hit by a group of ATVs. The officer was struck by an ATV and dragged down a street in Southeast D.C., police said.

"They come back every summer," Police Chief Cathy Lanier said.

Lanier said there is a regional effort involving state, local and federal law enforcement agencies to stop illegal ATV and dirt bike riders.

Although the department has been in need of a new truck for some time now, the funds necessary to obtain the truck were not available until last April, at which time the department was able to qualify for a grant to cover the truck's cost. The final inspection of the truck was completed on Feb. 23.

The pumper truck was purchased from 'Four Guys', a company located in Pennsylvania, for a total of $275,000, and will be replacing the department's previously used truck, Engine 11, which is a 1975 model. The department's other fire engine, Rescue 10, is a 1984 model.