Zanesville City Council Approves New Fire Truck

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Zanesville City Council approved the purchase of a new fire engine that will replace Engine 1, currently used by the central station. Zanesville Fire Department Chief Jeff Bell explained the processes involved in purchasing major equipment.

“Actually this process started last summer. We put a truck committee together to spec out a new fire engine. Like every other industry now, it seems like build times have gone longer, trying to get supplies and that. We started hearing from manufacturers  that if you wanted to get a truck you are looking at 24 to 26 months from any of the manufacturers to deliver a fire truck,” Bell said.

The Zanesville City Council approved the $1,011,419 expenditure that the new unit will cost. The 14-year-old, Engine 1 will be used as a backup and the 31-year-old current backup will be auctioned off. Bell mentioned that the payoff of other equipment will help to free up room in the budget.

The new Sutphen-manufactured unit will be equipped with modern tooling that will be more efficient and easier to work with.

“There’s so much new technology that comes out,” Bell said. “This being our Rescue Engine, one of its main components is going to be rescue tools. Rescue tools in the last 15 years have come leaps and bounds. Everybody goes to battery operated tools, you don’t have the lines you have to worry about. It’s not connected to the truck anymore. It has just as much cutting power and spreading strength and things like that.”

Bell noted that his job is to provide training and equipment to make the job for his firefighters as safe as possible and expressed gratitude to the city for their efforts in providing for the department.