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Pierce Fire Engines

Friday, 09 January 2009

Marion County Fire District #1 is pleased to announce that three new fire engines have been put in service to serve our community. Approximately eighteen months ago, plans began to replace our aging fire apparatus.

We determined that funds existed to replace three fire engines from the apparatus and property replacement fund, supplemented by proceeds from a voter-approved general obligation bond in 1998. A Committee was formed to create the specifications for the new fire engines and after many meetings, and a lengthy review & procurement process, the contract was awarded to Pierce Manufacturing Inc. based in Appleton Wisconsin.

Pierce recently developed a new fire truck, called the Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC). The PUC is built on a new pump-under-cab design that allows for a shorter overall wheelbase that allows better organization of equipment with more compartment space. The PUC is highly maneuverable and allows the fire engine to navigate narrow roads and driveways.

The PUC’s represent the safest and latest state of the art technology available to our firefighters. The engines will carry approximately 750 gallons of water, foam system, 1500 gallons per minute fire pump and a high intensity telescopic light tower. The emergency lighting system represents new LED technology which allows for lower wattage and higher intensity lighting to increase the safety of our firefighters. In addition to carrying firefighting equipment, the three PUC’s will also carry auto extrication tools and emergency medical equipment

The PUC’s arrived in early December, and our volunteer and career personnel have been training and working hard to put the new fire engines into service.

The PUC’s will replace three of our 1989 fire trucks with open cabs.   

  • Engine 725 will serve the Clear Lake and North Keizer community out of Station 6, located at 8005 Wheatland Rd.
  • Engine 315 will serve the Four Corners community out of Station 1, located at 300 Cordon Road.
  • Engine 305 will serve the Chemeketa area out of Station 8, located at 4000 Lancaster Dr NE.

In November of 2008, voters approved a general obligation bond which will provide funding for the replacement of the remainder of the aged fire apparatus fleet. Apparatus replacement plans are well under way, though additional fire apparatus will not be ordered until the fire district sells the bonds, which is anticipated within the next five months.

The District will soon place an order for an additional three fire engines to continue our replacement of out-dated fire apparatus.  These fire engines are due to arrive in the winter of 2010. 

“The new fire engines represent our commitment to firefighter and community safety, and are a wise investment by our tax-payers” stated Chief Henson.