THUNDER BAY – After 24 years Shuniah Fire and Emergency Services is retiring one pumper and welcoming a brand new one to their fleet.
Shuniah Fire Chief Blair Arthur on Monday said the department took possession of their new $558,000 fire truck a day earlier and were set to take it out on field tests before putting it into service.
It’s been a three-year process, working with Shuniah town council, to make it happen, but it was time, Arthur said, adding there have been plenty of changes in technology over the past quarter century.
“We use compressed-air foam on the truck as opposed to water. We had foam on the old truck, but that system is just outdated and antiquated. So the technology of using compressed air foam with water makes a big difference for us for how long we can fight a fire without hydrants,” Arthur said.
In a rural setting, the more water that a truck can carry, the better.
“We have 900 imperial gallons on the truck, which is quite substantial compared to a city truck, which may have 250 or 500 gallons. We also can carry six firefighters on board, which is a big difference,” Arthur said.
The bottom line is the public will be better served with a newer vehicle in the fleet.
“Reliability is key for us,” Arthur said. “It’s important for our community to have something that’s newer and updated and also more reliable.’
The department last replaced a truck in 2011.
Arthur said they plan to sell their old truck, either to another department or a mining company.
