After a three-day cross-country journey, the Helena Fire Department’s newest emergency vehicle has arrived, KTVH.com reported.
The department’s new ladder truck was delivered to Fire Station 1 Friday. A driver brought it over from Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, WI, the report said.
The truck features a 100-foot ladder and elevated platform, as well as a 400-gallon water tank. A fire official said it gives them important high angles when performing rescues or trying to put out structure fires, the report said.
HFD ordered the new truck back in April 2021, but leaders said it was delayed by issues like parts shortages. It will operate out of Fire Station Two, on Helena’s east side, replacing a truck that’s 20 years old. The fire official said the other apparatus is still working well, but it’s becoming harder to find parts for it, the report said.
The fire official said they were able to customize this vehicle to meet the needs of the community, like using a gearing system designed to handle Helena’s hills, according to the report.
