PA Firefighters Push New Engine into Firehouse

Nov. 13—MILTON — Dozens of firefighter hands placed on a 2022 Pierce Enforcer guided the Milton Fire Department's new vehicle into its new home on Saturday.

Following a brief dedication ceremony, Fire Chief Scott Derr sat in the driver's seat of the $686,000 apparatus while his fellow firefighters walked the vehicle into bay of Engine 15 at 121 Ridge Ave.m Milton. The new vehicle replaced the aging 1998 Grumman Engine.

"This is a big deal for all of us, the borough and fire department," said Derr, also a borough councilman.

Derr said the fire truck committee put in three years, making trips around the state to visit other department and their trucks to determine what would best fit Milton.

The new truck has a lot of safety factors, including rollover protection and HAAS Alert's Safety Cloud service that detects other responding trucks with the device to help prevent accidents. It was important to have the new truck fit through the Race Street underpass as well as to keep hoses lower to the ground to avoid slips and injuries, said Derr.

"We really liked the layout of the Grumman," said Derr. "The Grumman served the borough for 30 years as a workhorse. We said 'why change everything? Let's just modify. If you look at this engine and the Grumman, there are a lot of similarities. There was a lot we wanted to keep."

U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-12, one of the public officials who attended the housing ceremony, said the accomplishment of a new truck is great to see.

"It's a real privilege to be with you today, and see the tools you're going to have, the new fire equipment you're going to have, to accomplish your goals," said Keller.

The fire fighters risk their lives because they care and he and public officials are there to support them, he said.

Fire Company President Jay Peachey said it was "an all-around effort" by the borough department, committee members and council members."

Borough Council President Jamie Walker said bringing the fire truck to the borough was a collaboration of many people.

"It's a big deal," said Walker.

Walker thanked the fire fighters on behalf of himself, council and his own family because the fire fighters do what many people don't want to do.

Milton Fire Lt. Seth Heddings and his brother Heath Young, a retired firefighter out of Sunbury and New Columbia, purchased the old truck for $6,800 through an online auction site municibid.com, an outlet the borough has used previously and others sell everything from lawnmowers and tools to fire engines. The fire truck has 27,438 miles on it and about 3,500 engine hours.

Heddings said they plan to fix it up and take it to parades and Pump Primers events in Harrisburg.

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