New Fire Equipment Approved for Willow-Caswell Fire Service Area

At their meeting this week, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly approved funding to purchase a tanker for the Willow-Caswell Fire Service Area.

According to background documentation provided for the Assembly meeting, the existing equipment is a 1985 Grumman tender. The new equipment is expected to be built to current industry, Department of Transportation, and National Fire Protection Association standards. 

Willow-Caswell Fire Service Area Chief Rich Boothby says finding replacement parts for the aging truck is difficult and that it requires more maintenance. The new truck will be a pumper as well as a tender, meaning it maximizes the abilities of the equipment. In addition, Boothby says it has more safety features like anti-locking breaks. It can also spray while rolling and has an updated foam spray system, which Boothby says can be handy when fighting wildland fires. The tender is also larger than the engines and can carry a longer ladder, enabling crews to more easily reach second stories of buildings. These features all help keep insurance costs lower.

Director of Emergency Services Ken Barkley at the meeting says most of these trucks have a waiting list of two years. However, this truck will be available to the Willow-Caswell area in a matter of months once the agreement is signed.  

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