The Sweet Home Fire Department's 1983 Mack Pumper fire engine has busted pipes and gears that don't work.
The volunteer department only owns two engines, and having one out of service poses a threat to area residents. So the Little Rock Fire Department's donation of a 1987 Pierce Arrow engine Thursday couldn't have come at a better time.
"We were in dire need," said Will Hamilton, Sweet Home's assistant fire chief. "We were down to one engine and one in service. Us not having a backup was a very bad fire danger."
Without dedicated funding like city departments, volunteer fire departments often serve rural areas with fewer staff members, less money and outdated equipment.
Little Rock often donates trucks and firefighting equipment that it retires after purchasing updated vehicles and gear. In fact, Sweet Home's other operating engine was previously donated by Little Rock.
In addition to the donation to Sweet Home on Thursday, the Little Rock Fire Department also gave a 1989 Pierce Arrow engine to the volunteer West Pulaski Fire Department. That made six engines total that the capital city's Fire Department has given away.
The two engines were serving as Little Rock's reserve units, used in the event that all other units were called out. Last year, the city received six new units it purchased the year before, allowing the department to put some of its other models in reserve and retire the Pierce Arrows.
"[The engines] are 1987 and 1989, but I can tell you they are getting some very good units. They've been well taken care of," Little Rock Fire Chief Gregory Summers said.