New engine rolls in

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Naugatuck's new fire engine arrived Thursday and cost about $500,000. It is expected to be on the road within the next month. –RA ARCHIVE
Naugatuck’s new fire engine arrived Thursday and cost about $500,000. It is expected to be on the road within the next month. –RA ARCHIVE

NAUGATUCK — The borough’s new fire engine has features that will help keep firefighters safe when rushing to a call.

The $500,000 pumper known as Engine 3 rolled into the borough Thursday complete with air bags and anti-skidding technology.

The truck was built by Marion Body Works of Marion, Wis. It has an aluminum body, a five-man cab and a high-voltage exterior lighting package that will give the fire department better visibility on night calls. Currently, lighting is a problem for the department, Chief Ken Hanks said.

“That really makes it safer at the scene,” Hanks said. “One of our biggest concerns with this purchase, as with everything we do, was safety.”

The tanker carries 500 gallons of water, which firefighters use before tapping into the local water supply. That is usually enough to take care of routine calls, such as small kitchen fires or motor vehicle fires, Capt. Vin Healy said.

The engine will be stationed at the east side fire station on May Street and will likely be in service within the next month. Currently, some equipment on an old engine, which was still good, is being placed on the new vehicle. Hanks said keeping that equipment, such as hoses, saved several thousand dollars.

Naugatuck is looking to sell its old engine and has some interested buyers, Hanks said. The department now has four pumper engines and one ladder truck, with two reserve vehicles. Firefighters are also in the process of rebuilding two 1996 trucks that the department will keep in reserve.

Over the past 10 years, the department has been updating outdated equipment and has spent millions on its apparatus. Hanks said the department will likely not need another piece of equipment for the next few years.