Buying a new fire truck, or even a used one, can be an expensive proposition for a fire district.
But Grant County Fire District 5 officials found an innovative way to cut costs and get exactly the truck they want in the bargain.
District officials take a do-it-yourself approach, purchasing a truck chassis and customizing it from the axles up. Fire District 5 Chief Dan Smith said it’s a way to maximize the district’s resources.
“As a rural fire district, we don’t have the money, basically, to go out and buy all new trucks,” he said. “We have such a broad area to cover, over 500 square miles, so we have 12 stations. There’s no way you could afford to have brand new trucks at all 12 stations all the time. We can still provide quality equipment, and lots of it, for a lot less money.”
Assistant Chief Rick Wentworth said it’s a technique the district has used for years.
“We didn’t start it,” Wentworth said. “The people that preceded us started this. It’s kind of our culture.”