The City of Rockingham has purchased a brand new fire truck for the Rockingham Fire Department.
The cost of the 2022 Custom E-One Fire Engine is $475,000. The new truck will replace a 1989 Mack truck which will now be used as a training/reserve engine, according to the RFD Facebook page.
The purchase was possible through American Rescue Plan funds, according to City Manager Monty Crump. Rockingham received $2,530,000.
Crump said the fire truck was included in the two previous City of Rockingham budgets, but was ultimately taken out, first due to COVID-19, then due to the county’s switch from a per capita sales tax distribution to ad valorem in April 2020.
RFD Chief Harold Isler discussed the need for a new truck at a budget session in June. City leaders said at the time that a purchase of this magnitude could be accomplished through the ARP funds.