Shiny new wheels
By John Joyce
Published in News on August 10, 2015 1:46 PM
Full Size
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
The new Engine 1 sits just outside the bay at Goldsboro Fire Station 1 Tuesday. The truck, designed bumper to bumper to suit the needs of the city, will be on display at the South Atlantic Fire Expo and will have its first day Aug. 17.
Goldsboro has a new fire truck, but it will be a couple of weeks before the new engine answers any city fire calls.
The new Pierce Arrow 2015 fire engine, which was built to the specifications of the Goldsboro Fire Department, is expected to take its place in the department's fleet this month.
Fire Chief Gary Whaley said the engine will make its debut at the South Atlantic Fire Expo in Raleigh, then will officially be put into service Aug 17.
The new truck, Engine 1, is replacing an older model currently holding the same name.
The engine being replaced by the newer model is a 1998 Marian model, built on a Spartan chassis.
"It was the oldest front-line pumper we've got," Whaley said, referring to the 1998 model. What I mean by front-line is it is not a reserve. It'll be 20 years old here shortly."
The price tag of the new engine is $497,348.
"With equipment, it put it right at $500,000. It has 750 gallons of water on board with a 1,500 gallon per-minute pump. It was designed and spec'd out to handle the District 1 fire response district," he said.
The truck can, and will, be used all over the city, but its primary response district is Station 1 -- downtown Goldsboro.
"Actually, the oldest fire truck we have is a 1990 Pierce fire engine. Our reserve pumper was a '90, and then we have a '91 reserve truck. Both of those trucks are dated," Whaley said.
Although the trucks are old, they are still running and working well. They will remain in service as reserves.