Yorkton Fire Protective Services has added a new truck to its fleet. Engine 3, a 2013 Pierce pumper truck, will be the primary truck for the fire department.
The $665,000 unit has several advantages over the older trucks, explains Deputy Chief Greg Litvanyi, with the biggest advantage being the enclosed pump panel. It provides protection from the elements for the pump operator, as well as rehab for firefighters at longer incidents, allowing them to warm up or cool down as required without impeding operations. The enclosed panel is something that is well suited to the needs of the city, especially given the extreme weather that is often experienced in Yorkton.
The new machine also has a larger pumping capacity, and new design features such as a more accessible tool board system, explains Litvanyi, which makes tools easier to access than the shelves on the older trucks.
Fire trucks have a twenty year life expectancy, Litvanyi explains, with ten years on the front line followed by ten years as a support unit.
The previous main truck, Engine 2, has been in service since 2002.
The oldest truck in the fleet, Engine 1, will now be a training unit, but can still be called in to service if needed.
"We're just continuing on with that fleet replacement program, so we don't wind up with a fire truck that isn't serviceable to protect the citizens of Yorkton."
The purchase was spurred on by reliability issues encountered with Engine 2, which will now transition into a support role, Litvanyi explains.
"The nice part about having three pumpers in the fleet, last year Engine 2 had the pump go out. When it went out of service, we had to actually rent out a truck from Calgary to be a backup truck for the city... We have the ability, if one truck goes out of service, that we don't leave the citizens of the city and the RM unprotected because we have enough backup trucks in the fleet."
The truck itself was designed to best suit the City of Yorkton, Litvanyi explains. His role in the design process was to include features that would suit the needs of the fire department, but Public Works also was a major contributor to the design process, choosing the mechanical package in order for it to be similar to the rest of the city's vehicle fleet and make maintenance and repair easier and quicker.
