A full-size fire engine costs approximately $4 per mile to operate when diesel fuel, upkeep and repairs are totaled, according to Gallatin Fire Chief Jeff Beaman, tennessean.com reported.
An SUV can cost around 30 cents per mile, Beaman estimates.
That’s why Gallatin is developing plans to utilize a Chevrolet Tahoe to run certain medical calls that have been handled by a full-time fire truck, the report said.
Gallatin is implementing the “alternative response vehicle” program with a Chevrolet Tahoe that has been used by each shift commander when they are on-duty, the report said. The city has purchased a new vehicle for shift commanders and the used Tahoe will be equipped and wrapped with a white over red concept to make it identifiable with the fire department.
The alternative response vehicle will be used at Station 1, which is the department’s busiest station, according to the report. Data will be gathered with hopes to expand to other stations.
The Tahoe will have medical equipment and will generally carry two crew members instead of four that are typically on a fire truck, the report said.
New fire engine coming
The city of Gallatin has received its first rendering of a new fire engine in production that was ordered in December of 2021 for $635,000, the city said in a press release. The water-pumping engine will replace the primary fire apparatus currently being used at either at Fire Station 3 (860 Red River Road) or Fire Station 4 (315 Big Station Camp Boulevard). The Gallatin Fire Department will conduct an evaluation of the operating costs for each of these sites to determine which station this new fire engine will be assigned to.
The fire engine to be replaced will continue to be used for an additional five to seven years as a reserve apparatus when a front-line fire engine is down for repairs or maintenance. Generally, a fire engine has a service life of 15 years in front-line service and approximately five to seven additional years as a reserve.