City adds to fire department fleet
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

(photo left to right) Mark Fredericks, fire marshal, Public Safety Director for the City of Kilgore Ronnie Moore and Battalion Chief Dennis Gauge take receipt of the new pumper truck on Friday.

The Kilgore Fire Department addeda 2007 pumper truck to their fleet this past week.

Chief Ronnie Moore said the acquisition of the truck was an add on, not a replacement.Moore said the new truck is a Frieghtliner truck and frame with a Mercedes Benz power plant.

"The entire back of the truck is made by Hall-Mark Fire Apparatus out of Hallmark," Moore said.

The truck cost $160,000 and the city had Hall-Mark completely equip the truck with all the firefighting equipment for the vehicle, Moore said.

The cost of the equipment was $37,000, bring the grand total paid to Hall-Mark $197,000 for the vehicle, Hall- Mark Fire Apparatus sales representative Charlie Williams said.

Moore said the vehicle will be placed at Station 3, the crews will undergo training on the new vehicle before it is put in service which will take about two to three weeks.

Moore said a piece of equipment like the pumper truck has a life expectancy of about 15 to 20 years. "Because of the finance rates being so low the city financed the vehicle over the next three years," Moore said.