Fire Department to Dedicate Heavy Rescue Truck at Station 1

The San Marcos Fire Department will celebrate the delivery of a new heavy rescue truck Monday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. with a “pushing-in” ceremony at Fire Station #1, 114 East Hutchison Street. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

“The new rescue apparatus’ light, air, and heavy rescue capabilities will be a regional asset that will be used not only for San Marcos residents, but also be available through our mutual aid system for emergencies in surrounding jurisdictions in both Hays and Comal Counties,” said Fire Chief Les Stephens. “This apparatus and the equipment it carries will greatly expand our firefighter’s capabilities in the areas of vertical, confined space, trench, and swift-water rescue; as well as giving us, for the first time ever, the ability to refill our self-contained breathing apparatus cylinders on the scene of working structure fires. We greatly appreciate our community, City Management, and the City Council’s vision and support of our Department and their willingness to equip us with the right tools to protect our community. ”

The pushing-in ceremony is a tradition dating back to the 19th century when manufacturers would deliver a new pumper wagon to the fire station with a team of horses. Since the team of horses couldn’t back up, the receiving party would unhitch the wagon, push it back into the station, load up the equipment and hitch their own team of horses, making it ready for its first response.

The ceremony is the culmination of more than two years of work by a committee of San Marcos firefighters who researched and set the specifications of the custom-built apparatus.

The 34 foot 2016 SVI Heavy Rescue/Light and Air Truck is equipped with:

• 2016 Spartan Metro severe duty cab and chassis
• Cummings ISL9 450 horse power, diesel engine
• Allison EVS3000 automatic transmission
• Onan Protec 40KW 3 phase generator
• Command Light, Light Tower with LED lights
• Bauer 13.0 SCFM at 6000 PSI, SCBA fill station
• Paratech rescue struts
• Paratech airbags
• TNT hydraulic rescue tools
• Swift water rescue gear
• Trench rescue gear
• Confined space rescue gear
• Scott Safety confined space breathing apparatus
• High/low angle rescue gear
• Bullard TacSight long distance thermal imaging camera
• Recon3 camera and DeWalt confined space cameras
• Two NRS Otter 13-foot rubber rafts
• One OceanID swift water rescue raft
• STIHL RockBoss concrete chain saw
• STIHL TS700i all-purpose cutoff saw

The purchase price of the new truck was $883,669 which includes all new tools, and equipment. The apparatus is now in service and has already responded to several calls in the community.