New fire truck for Lismore

THE Lismore fire station just got a big, red, shiny $500,000 dollar gift. A brand new class-three fire truck was delivered to the station yesterday.

Testing the hoses on their new fire truck are Lismore fire station crew (from left), Captain Brett Lowden, senior firefighter James Connors, Superintendent Chris Fabri, senior firefighter Greg Marker and station officer Ian Grimwood. Picture: CATHY ADAMS

THE Lismore fire station just got a big, red, shiny $500,000 dollar gift.

A brand new class-three fire truck was delivered to the station yesterday afternoon with plenty of bells and whistles that far outshone its previous truck.

The Swiss-designed and manufactured fire truck is part of a Fleet Enhancement Program that has awarded fire stations around the State with new vehicles and Lismore is the lucky last recipient.

The $255 million program is aimed at providing modern, upgraded trucks that incorporate appropriate health and safety measures.

The $528,000 vehicle has been warmly welcomed as a replacement to the last one, which was 20 years old, and well past its prime.“You can imagine what technology has evolved in 20 years with the improvement in the engine and the pumping system,” Northern Rivers zone commander, Superintendent Chris Fabri said.

“This is an urban firefighting truck with a higher capacity engine and water wise.

“With a better engine it will allow the truck to get up hills and to the fires faster.

“It has a lot more health and safety precautions also.”

The new truck can pump out 3900 litres of water per minute and has breathing apparatus for the firefighters in the cabin, which will save up to one minute in emergency rescue situations.

Lismore firefighters have completed the necessary training and are anxious to see how the new truck performs.

“These trucks all have the same gear in the same spot and everything is easier to get to,” station officer Ian Grimwood said.

“So if I go down to Manly and use their truck I will know where everything is.

“Before we had to climb in sections to get at things and now everything is reachable from the outside.”

The truck was originally fitted in Sydney then transported up but the internal equipment will be fitted to the truck and ready to operate by today.

While the old yet faithful truck sits in the background, the firefighters all agree it’s seen better days.

state-of-the-art

Holds a 3000 litre water tank

Reverse Camera

LED signage on the back displaying different messages

A built-in fan to blow away smoke

A new horn that ascends in noise

A foam system for putting out petrol fires

Originally published as New fire truck for Lismore