HOPE — The Hope Volunteer Fire Department will soon be able to reach new heights.
The department has purchased a 1998 Pierce Dash fire truck with an 85-foot ladder truck that will allow firefighters to rise up to areas they’ve not been able to previously reach, Hope Fire Chief Chad Emmitt said.
Acquired from a company called Command Fire Apparatus of Landisville, Pennsylvania, the ladder truck was acquired for about $150,000, Emmitt said.
Although the truck arrived this week, volunteer firefighter and Hope minister Ed Cottrell said it is not yet ready to be utilized in firefighting efforts.
“There is equipment needed for the truck to be placed in service,” Cottrell said. “In addition, firefighters have to undergo training on how to operate the truck safely.”
The last time that Hope volunteers received such a high-priced vehicle was in 2017 when the firefighters were awarded a $492,000 federal grant to purchase a new fire truck.
Emmitt appeared before the Hope Town Council Tuesday to have them approve a letter to a bank verifying that the department provides coverage for the town of Hope. The letter will be used to obtain a tax-exempt loan with a low interest rate to pay for expenses related to the 1998 Pierce truck.
Members of the town council unanimously agreed to have council president Jerry Bragg sign the letter.
This is believe to be the largest purchase made by the organization since the fire department moved from a former horse stable near the intersection of Jackson and Harrison streets to a brand, new fire station on Aiken St. in early 2017.
