- Last Updated on Friday, 29 December 2017 23:08
Sixteen months ago, Gill Hill Volunteer Fire Company started the process the long process to replace their 34-year-old fire engine.
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| Gill Hall VFC Trustee Tony Latorre, 41-year member, and GHVFC President Calvin Felix show off the new vehicle. Felix is also a 44-year member of the company. Visible behind them are some of the state-of-art systems onboard the new truck. |
The fire company was awarded a Federal Assistance to Firefighters grant in August 2016 for $397,000. Once awarded, the Gill Hall firefighters wrote a detailed specification and requested proposals from several truck manufacturers.
Following the bid process, Spartan Emergency Response was awarded the contract to build the new vehicle. After a 13-month build process, the 2018 Spartan Metro Star custom fire truck was complete, and Gill Hall VFC took delivery in October 2017.
The new vehicle features a rated 2000-gallons-per-minute pump, the ability for 12 fire attack lines, and a specialized foam system for certain types of fires. In addition, the new truck carries vehicle rescue equipment to cut trapped occupants from vehicles and equipment for several other specialized rescues.
This new, custom fire truck replaced a 34-year-old fire truck that was donated to the Dominican Republic in August 2017, where first responders have little or no emergency equipment. The Gill Hall VFC takes pleasure in knowing that this new vehicle will serve the residents of Jefferson Hills and surrounding communities for years to come, as the old vehicle will also continue its service miles away.
