Santee (SC) Fire District Welcomes The Gator and Big Bird

Photo via Santee FD's Facebook page.

The Santee (SC) Fire District now has a 2021 Toyne fire engine and 1997 Pierce 100-foot platform ladder truck—The Gator and Big Bird, respectively—in its apparatus arsenal, reports thetandd.com.

The purchase of the $396,000 Gator was made possible through grants, with a 5% match by the department, officials said. The upgraded Big Bird was $200,000, which was paid for by trading in one of the department’s older trucks. Both apparatuses are equipped with 1,000-foot, five-inch hoses.

The Gator is equipped with a 1,000-gallon tank and can pump 2,250 gallons of water per minute. Its engine has a 20-foot light tower complete with LED lights and a generator. Big Bird can pump 2,000 gallons of water per minute.

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