The Nevada Fire Department has been dreaming of a RED Christmas.
If all goes according to plan, they’ll be receiving a new red fire engine just ahead of the holidays.
Fire Chief Ray Reynolds said in October that it could be delayed, but regardless of when it arrives, the new Spartan Engine by Toyne will be one of the biggest gifts the department and this community can receive.
The Spartan will replace the department’s current Engine 310, which is 28 years old.
The Nevada Fire Department (NFD) had first looked to order a replacement engine back in 2020, but then the pandemic hit, and the order got postponed.
“The National Fire Protection Association sets standards that indicate a municipality should not operate a fire apparatus that is over 20 years old,” Reynolds said, noting that reasons for this include continuous updates for reliability and safety.
Departments must, however, balance the concerns of reliability and safety with the major cost of replacing these vehicles. When the NFD committed to the new engine in 2022, the cost was $722,000 for the new Spartan. “We’d budgeted $500,000 in 2020,” Reynolds said. “We got a $45,000 discount because we paid for the cab first.”
The department committed itself to fundraising for the difference between the total cost and what it had in the budget and was able to raise the needed funds through generous donations from local businesses and individuals.
Reynolds is glad for everything that helped the NFD lock in the purchase price in 2022, because the same engine the department will receive soon now costs $1.1 million.
“We have seen the fire apparatus industry go up $50,000 every six months,” Reynolds said, noting a Congressional hearing is planned soon to look into this inflation matter.
Engine 310, which has been kept in great condition due to the NFD having members gifted at working on it, will also continue to serve a purpose. Four businesses — VERBIO, Mid-States, Lincolnway Energy, and KEY Coop — gave $50,000 to purchase it, with those funds going toward the new engine. The older engine will be kept onsite near VERBIO and be used if needed for emergencies and as a reserve engine for the NFD.
Along with the new Spartan, the NFD still has another ladder truck/tower engine that is a 2007 model. Engine 210 holds 750 gallons of water. The new engine, by comparison, will carry 1,500 gallons of water. “It will become our first-out fire engine,” Reynolds said.
In late September, Reynolds received another piece of good news concerning the new fire engine. The NFD writes many grants and therefore receives many grants, and word came of the department’s receipt of a $20,881 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), which will provide funds to equip the new engine with new hoses, nozzles, and other appliances needed. (This grant required a 5 percent match of $994.38, which was already budgeted.)
“There’s something that adds to the safety of firefighters when they have the best gear and brand-new equipment. They don’t have to worry about ‘will my nozzle break,’ or ‘will my hose spring a leak,’ … they can simply focus on their job,” Reynolds said.
Watch for more announcements and celebrations of the new fire engine’s arrival in the near future. If you aren’t doing so already, follow the Nevada Fire Department on Facebook to stay informed!
–Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada