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Article published May 2, 2008 BCFD receives new rescue truck with Homeland grant
By Jessica Stith of The Daily Times Staff
Local firefighters keep on truckin' toward becoming more and more self-sufficient, especially in rescue.
Due to a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, firefighters are now riding better equipped in a new rescue truck.
"We've always had to call outside help when had major events, but now we're pretty self-sufficient," Blount County Fire Chief Doug McClanahan said, but added that they will continue to ask for help when needed.
McClanahan said the truck, which will be used in all three local jurisdictions, will be used to carry emergency rescue equipment. The fire departments have been purchasing this equipment over the last couple of years, and needed a vehicle to carry it. Before, the equipment was placed in multiple trucks.
The rescue truck, "Support 2," will be housed at the Blount County Fire Department in either Station 1 or 2 on East Broadway Avenue, but will be used for mutual aid in Maryville, Alcoa and with other counties. The "E-one" truck will respond on all rescues and major disasters.
Maryville, Alcoa and Blount County Fire Departments have always worked together on major disasters in the county, and will continue that mutual aid with the rescue truck.
"We have no problem calling each other for help," McClanahan said.
The truck carries hydraulic equipment, airbags, breathing air, building collapse equipment, trench rescue tools, equipment for high-angle and low-angle rescue and tools for rescues in traffic accidents. The truck can also haul additional trailers if more equipment is needed on a call.
"We've been gearing toward getting something to put the equipment on," McClanahan said. "This is the last piece of this project."
As the county and need for more equipment grow, they will continue updating and buying new tools for rescue, McClanahan said.
Federal grant money
A typical fire engine or tanker normally costs between $200,000 and $250,000, but the rescue truck is less expensive because it does not carry water. McClanahan said that the new truck was bought with $149,000 in grant money.
"This cost the county zero," McClanahan said. "It was all federal money."
Bart Stinnett, director of Blount County Emergency Management Agency, said federal money is passed from the Department of Homeland Security to Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and then to Blount County Emergency Management Agency. Blount County received $503,758 from a 2005 grant, which was applied for in 2004. The remainder of the money was used on numerous other items for the various emergency service agencies in the county.
Stinnett said all emergency service responders attend grant meetings to jointly decide what is needed and what will be the biggest benefit to the county. He said they then make a request to Homeland Security for items needed and explain how they will be utilized.
Bob Cole, planner for The Department of Homeland Security District 2, said the county pays for items they need and are reimbursed by the state with the federal money. He believes the grant money was well spent on the rescue truck, which will be helpful in the "geographically diverse" county. He also believes the truck will get a "great deal of use" by all of the fire departments in Blount County.
The truck was manufactured in Florida and was bought from Heritage Fire Apparatus dealership in Alabama.
McClanahan said the truck should be in service within 30 days, pending a few more additional items that need to be added to the truck.
All three fire departments have spent an immense amount of time training on the equipment that will be housed in the rescue truck, McClanahan said. He said the departments have trained together and separately over the last two years.
Fire Dragon 4
The Blount County Fire Department also recently purchased another small rescue truck, McClanahan said. The rescue truck, nicknamed "Fire Dragon 4," will be used as a brush truck and light rescue truck, mostly on Calderwood Highway and the Dragon.
The $60,000 truck was bought primarily with money from private donations. McClanahan said 75 percent of the truck was paid for with donations and the rest was paid for out of the county's general fund.
Blount County Fire Lt. Tim Ogle said Fire Dragon 4 will allow for a quicker fire-fighting response because the truck carries 250 gallons of water. He said it is harder to get fire engines up to the dragon.
Fire Dragon 4 will be kept at Station 4 on U.S. 411 South, which is the closest Blount County fire station to the Dragon.