GREENFIELD — The city’s new fire ladder truck, equipped with a 2,000 gallon-per-minute pump, was used to help extinguish the Amherst apartment complex fire that displaced more than 200 students in November, Fire Chief Robert Strahan said.
Strahan explained that while firefighters are getting used to responding to fires with a straight ladder truck, rather than the platform model they are better acquainted with, the new truck has already seen significant use.
“Firefighters are still getting familiar with the new piece of equipment. There are different operations that go along with a straight stick ladder versus the platform. We are getting used to and accustomed to the operations of this truck,” Strahan said. “On any roof fire call, the engine is the first piece, and the ladder would be the second piece. It has responded to numerous emergencies since it’s been here, but spent about six to 12 hours in Amherst, assisting with a large residential high rise fire that occurred a few weeks ago.”
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the $1.9 million truck purchase in February, following a unanimous vote of approval at a Ways and Means Committee.
The funding, which came from transferring $1.6 million from the city’s capital stabilization fund along with transferring an additional $300,000 from the ambulance revolving account, replaced the city’s 25-year-old ladder truck. According to Strahan, the department has anticipated the expense for the last 12 years.
Buying the new ladder truck, Strahan previously explained, allows firefighters to access some of the city’s tallest structures in the event of a fire. The ladder’s addition to the city fleet, he said previously, boosts its Public Protection Classification rating, or ISO score, which measures the effectiveness of a municipality’s fire department and is used to set insurance rates.
“The difference is it doesn’t have a platform on it. It does have a single master stream that is capable of flowing more than 1,500 gallons a minute at the tip of the ladder. It also has seven more feet than that the old ladder does — 107-foot versus 100-foot,” Strahan said. “We are extremely grateful for the support of the city, the mayor and the City Council for helping secure this ladder truck. It will serve the community for, you know, many years to come.”