New truck shows commitment to public safety

Members of Temple Fire & Rescue, City officials and residents helped ceremoniously push the city’s new firetruck into its home Monday at the Central Fire Station, 210 N. Third Street. 

“This piece of equipment is a significant investment for our community, but it is one that will help our department save lives,” City Manager Brynn Myers said. 

The 100-foot ladder truck was officially dedicated during a traditional “push-in” ceremony. The ceremony remembers the early years of the fire service when apparatuses were pulled by hand or a team of horses. It was a common practice during for firefighters who returned from a call to manually push the apparatus back into the bay. 

Before the new truck was pushed into the station, Mayor Tim Davis said the investment in new equipment was indicative of the city’s commitment to public safety. 

“We’ve been very deliberate over the past few years about working on the budget to make sure our first responders are compensated and equipped properly,” Davis said. “It’s very important that the citizens of Temple understand and know how appreciative the Council is that they are willing to invest in things like this truck.” 

The $1.3 million ladder truck was built by Pierce Manufacturing in Wisconsin. They hybrid truck features a rescue ladder and has the capacity to carry 500 gallons of water. 

“It’s not like just going down to the car lot. This takes a lot of work and a lot of planning,” Myers said. “(Fire Chief Mitch Randles) made sure it was done very thoughtfully and there were a lot of voices involved to make sure we purchased the right truck with the right equipment.” 

The new apparatus is one of three ladder trucks that serves the city. The truck it is replacing will be relocated to Station 6, 3620 Range Road, and is scheduled to be replaced with another new truck in 2022.