New fire trucks means new responsibilities

ALBANY, Ga. – New fire trucks for the Albany Fire Department means new procedures for the firefighters.

The City Board of Commissioners in Albany approved the $2.1 million purchase of three new fire trucks on Friday.

Now fires stand no chance to the fire department’s new trucks.

The new vehicles are needed to replace aging vehicles in the fleet, purchased as far back as 2006.

Fire Chief Cedric Scott says the residents of Albany should be excited for the new replacements

“Should be excited for a number of reasons, for one it contributes to our ability to serve them at an even higher capacity than we have done.”

Scott says one of the features to keep the citizens safe and alert is that the trucks will be much brighter.

“They’ll be more illuminated as they come down so as to alert our citizens that we are coming toward you at an emergency capacity so it gives them an opportunity to move over and allow us to pass”

The trucks are also capable of pumping out 500 more gallons of water per minute. Working stronger and faster than the older pumper trucks.

But what about the benefits for firefighters?

Well, the trucks will have safety features such as enhanced lighting to help firefighters see at dark fire scenes, they’ll have air bags, better turning and technology to help prevent rollovers.

The firefighters will also have more storage space outside of the fire trucks main cabin.

Scott says these extra compartments will serve as a holding place for gear and equipment keeping the main cabin of the truck free of toxins or harmful residue that might be absorbed by gear while out on the scene.

“It allows them to have a cleaner atmosphere in which to breathe and not expose them to anything that will cause cancer.”

So now, moving forward, you might see fire fighters putting their gear on and taking it off at the scene of a fire. The fire fighters say not arriving fully geared will “definitely be an adjustment” but at the very least they’ll be able to leave the station faster.

The new fire trucks will be delivered in 2021 and Fire Chief Cedric Scott says he hopes to replace three to four more trucks to the fleet in the future.