September 4, 2023
Two new fire engines that will serve the community for years to come were formally dedicated Thursday during a ceremony at Station No. 2 on Carson Street.
Firefighters, elected officials and members of the public inspected the shiny new rescue pumper engine and “mini-pumper” truck.
The new rescue pumper is designated Engine No. 2, otherwise known as “The Deuce.” It is assigned to the recently opened fire Station No. 2 at 945 Carson St.
In a practice steeped in firefighting tradition, Greeneville firefighters and Town of Greeneville officials gently rolled the impressive rescue pumper engine into its bay during a “push-in” ceremony that harkens back to the days when horse-driven equipment was used to fight fires.
The rescue pumper engine and mini-pumper truck represent needed assets to the Greeneville Fire Department, fire Chief Alan Shipley said during the dedication.
“This is a great day,” Shipley said.
He noted the need for the rescue pumper and mini-pumper, and the challenges the fire department has had in keeping aging equipment operational. The new fire engine replaces a 1985 model, Shipley said.
Medical emergencies, wrecks and a host of other scenarios are now part of the daily routine of Greeneville firefighters.
“Our call volume in the past few years has increased unbelievably,” Shipley said.
The Greeneville Fire Department has met the challenge.
“Whatever comes in front of them, that’s what they have to do,” Shipley said.
Shipley thanked town officials, the community and other partners who made the purchase of the fire engine and mini-pumper possible.
He referred to the push-in ceremony, which re-created firefighting days gone by.
‘We will simulate actually pushing it back in,” Shipley said of the new engine.
In earlier remarks, City Manager Todd Smith said the acquisition of the new rescue pumper truck to better ensure public safety “is really a celebration of the core of what we do in Greeneville.”
Smith referenced the 22nd anniversary this week of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the dedication of local first responders in safeguarding the community.
New Greeneville Fire Station No. 2 on Carson Street was opened in April. Federal grant funds were obtained to pay for its construction. The lion’s share of the cost of the 2023 rescue pumper was purchased through a grant process that also accessed federal dollars. Smith thanked the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other funding sources for making the projects possible.
“It’s a great day to celebrate our community,” Smith said.
Greeneville Mayor Cal Doty noted during the ceremony that it “was a great day to be part of our town and community.”
Doty recognized firefighters for their work protecting the community.
‘The dedication to their job is evident,” he said. “I’m so proud to be a part of this community.”
“An important part of our job is to provide the tools for the (first responders) to do their job,” Doty said.
Prior to the push-in ceremony, Greeneville Fire Department Emergency Chaplain Danny Ricker offered a blessing for the new equipment and the firefighters gathered for the event.
GRANTS RECEIVED
Purchase of the engines was made possible through a series of grants received through several agencies.
The purchase of Engine No. 2 came about through a $609,600 Assistance to Firefighters Grant awarded to the Town of Greeneville and the Greeneville Fire Department. A U.S. Department of Agriculture grant contributed an additional $50,000 toward purchase of the engine.
The Town of Greeneville’s match amount toward purchase of the engine is $95,400.
The purchase of the mini-pumper was made possible by a Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a town official.
Engine No. 2 and the mini-pumper will serve the public for years to come in a variety of functions.
The rescue pumper is a 2023 Sutphen Corp. model. It was received on July 31.
The rescue pumper can accommodate six firefighters. It has more than 435 cubic feet of compartment space, a 1,000-gallon water tank, a 30-gallon foam tank and has a 2,000 gallon-per-minute pump capacity.
The mini-pumper was added to the Greeneville Fire Department fleet in August 2022.
It is on a Ford F-550 chassis with a pump that has a capacity of 1,500 gallons-per-minute. The mini-pumper carries 310 gallons of water and 20 gallons of Class A foam, used to extinguish materials such as wood, paper, brush and wildland vegetation.
The addition of rescue pumper engine to the Greeneville Fire Department fills a vital need.
“The state-of-the-art engine arrives at a critical time when the department was facing decreased capacity due to aging engines being out of service,” according to a Town of Greeneville news release.