Ash Grove Fire Protection District gets new rescue truck

The Ash Grove Fire Protection District has purchased a new fire rescue truck, a 2012 Freightliner chassis with a Horton ambulance body. The new truck replaces the AGFPD’s old fire rescue truck, which Kim Grant, and emergency medical technician with the district, said was beginning to have multiple issues. She added the district expects to keep the new truck until 2033.
“The truck is replacing a 1994 that was beginning to have multiple expensive repairs, including insufficient exterior emergency lighting,” she said. “This new truck will continue the responses to calls as the previous truck did; (it) has been reconditioned and is in excellent shape (and) should last our department hopefully another 15 years.”
The new truck will serve a variety of purposes.
“It responds to all medical calls, motor vehicle accidents and fire scenes,” Grant said. “It carries all of our medical equipment, some extrication equipment, SCBAs, light duty chain saws and building collapse tools.”
Grant said the new truck cost $42,000 and was paid for out of the AGFPD’s general fund. She added they sought another way to pay for the new vehicle, but the old rescue truck’s condition forced them to move ahead with getting a replacement.
“We did have a grant in process but we had to purchase the vehicle due to rapid deterioration of the 1994 truck,” she said. “We still have not heard anything back from the grant submittal.”
Grant also mentioned the AGFPD faithfully maintains all of their vehicles to ensure they remain in service for as long as possible.
“Weekly, each truck is checked using a check sheet that includes truck fluids as well as tire pressures, testing each piece of equipment on the vehicle for proper use and ease of starting when needed on scene, checking stock on each vehicle and several other line items,” she said. 
The fire rescue truck may not be the only new vehicle the AGFPD will purchase. Grant said they “lost a brush truck in the fall of 2017 due to engine failure” and are working to replace that vehicle as well.
Grant also said the AGFPD hasn’t yet decided what to do with the old fire rescue truck.