Fire dept. gets stimulus money

The Marianna Fire Department got word Wednesday that it will soon receive a brand new fire engine and rescue truck.

“We’re very excited about it,” Marianna fire Chief Byron Bennett said.

Bennett said he got a phone call Wednesday from Sen. Bill Nelson, congratulating Bennett on his department’s award of $100,000 in federal stimulus money and $216,000 in low-interest loans. The money will be used to purchase the two new trucks.

The funding was made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

With a 1991 engine that needed regular repairs,  Marianna fire department was in need of a new one, Bennett said.

The brand new 1,000 gallon-capacity fire engine has a larger water tank and bigger pump than the old one.

“It will accommodate more passengers in the event the department grows. The bigger water tank and pump will accommodate the needs of the city, as well as county residents,” Bennett said.

He said the larger capacity will come in handy when firefighters respond to areas short on fire hydrants.

“We’ll be able to fight more fire and not have to worry about running out of water,” Bennett said.

The new brush/rescue truck will save the city money, Bennett said.

“It’s smaller than the engine. More like a pick-up with a full body in the back. We’ll be able to respond to EMS calls within the city with a smaller unit,” Bennett said. “That relieves some wear and tear on the fire engine. We’ll be able to maneuver around easier, and it saves us a lot in gas.”

Bennett and city staff applied for the grant in February last year.

He said the new trucks will be delivered in September, which is relatively speedy.

“Usually it can take about seven months to get an engine that meets your specifications,” Bennett said.

The department’s old engine might be of use to one of the area volunteer fire departments, he said.

“The truck can’t stand up to every day use, but it could serve a volunteer department well. We’ll probably sell it to one of the volunteer stations. Some of their trucks are 1970s or ‘80s models. This one would make them a good truck,” Bennett said.

In May, the Marianna Fire Department received a $25,000 grant from Firehouse Subs, which was used to purchase 17 sets of head-to-toe bunker gear.

Bennett said he’s focused on getting grants, and has managed to obtain several smaller ones, ranging from $500 to “a couple thousand,” in addition to the larger awards.

In the next couple of weeks, the department will also receive a five-gas detector, which was facilitated by Jackson County Emergency Management.

“It will be used with hazmat techniques on scene. It works in the way of picking up on any kind of gas leaks,” Bennett said.