Springfield Fire Rescue Division welcomes new fire rescue pumper

It was out with the old and in with the new at the Springfield Fire Rescue Division’s (SFRD) Station One this week. A long-awaited and brand-new rescue engine was rolled into the station in a traditional company push and welcomed by all.

The new engine will serve a variety of calls, from fires to extrications, and trench, rope, water and confined space rescues, SFRD Capt. Jason Phipps says.

“The fire rescue engine at Station One goes out on a lot of responses,” Phipps says. “The last engine we had served for more than 20 years, and it was time to upgrade to new.”

This fire rescue engine is larger than the last one, able to accommodate all the equipment and tools needed for the calls it will serve, with room to grow. Prior to the new arrival, a van accompanied the fire rescue engine on special rescue calls to carry the additional supplies.

“We can expect this new engine to serve the next 20 years,” Phipps says.

Obtaining the new engine was a process two years in the making. It was chosen and designed with the consultation of the SFRD members who would be using it.

“This is what community service is all about,” SFRD Chief Brian Miller says. “The people who use this apparatus on a day-to-day basis are the ones who know what the needs are. Their involvement will help us serve the community all the better.”

The engine was built and outfitted by local companies Sutphen and Fire & Marine.