Louisiana City Buying New Fire Vehicles

Hammond, La., firefighters will soon be using four new trucks.

The Daily Star reported the City Council has approved the purchase of a crash truck to serve Hammond Northshore Regional Airport, a fire engine and two utility vehicles.

The fire engine will cost $351,169 and the airport engine will be $212,181.

They will be bought through a state contract from Ferrara Fire Apparatus in Holden.

The two utility vehicles will be Chevy Tahoes and cost about $30,000 each, with one going to the Hammond Fire Prevention Bureau and one to be used out of Hammond’s Central Fire Station.

Fire Chief John Thomas said the department is using a 5-mill public safety property tax to buy the equipment and to keep the fleet of vehicles up to date.

Hammond’s fleet of fire engines consists of five immediate response engines, two reserves, two rescue trucks, a hazardous materials truck and one ladder truck spread across five stations.

“We try to replace engines once they’re 15 years old,” Thomas said. “Our goal is to get 10-15 years with our main trucks and 20-25 from reserves.”