By Robert Tomkavage
The Times-Tribune
TAYLOR, Pa. — A new utility truck will help Taylor Fire Rescue personnel navigate narrow streets and slick roads.
The volunteer fire department recently purchased a 2024 Ford F-350 Knapheide Utility body squad for about $125,000 and responded to its first call in the vehicle on Dec. 11 for a report of a telephone pole on fire.
Although the call was unfounded, rescue Capt. Wes Jones Jr . noted it was an ideal situation to use the new vehicle.
“It was the perfect call for it — smaller stuff like that as opposed to running the big truck,” he said. “It’s $1.5 million to replace the big truck now, so you save a lot of wear and tear instead of beating it up so badly.”
A combination of donations and relief money from the state allowed the department to buy the truck, borough fire Chief Wes Jones said.
The vehicle will improve the department’s off-road capabilities and help first responders get to certain situations faster.
“With some alleys, the bigger trucks just won’t fit in,” Jones said. “At least we can get started on something or assist while the bigger trucks are out front.”
While the department targeted the truck as a vehicle for battling brush fires, Jones noted it will assist with many calls including structure fires and vehicle accidents.
“It’s an all-purpose truck, so it’s going to be on almost every call we go on,” he said. “It’s all around better for the borough and the surrounding communities — Old Forge, Moosic, Chinchilla. We all assist each other and have a lot of mutual aid calls.”
The truck is equipped with 250 gallons of water and a 300 gallon-per-minute pump.
“It can put some good water out for us,” Jones said.
Additionally, it will help crews gain easier access to more areas during inclement weather.
“In the wintertime, we’ll be able to take it out to a structure fire if we can’t get the rescue or engine out, until we can get them there,” Jones said. “If we have a snowstorm, we’re probably going to respond on that truck first and then the other vehicles would be secondary. We’re always prepared with the bigger vehicles, but this will give us a quick response and we can go to a lot of places with it.”
Taylor Mayor Loni Kavulich Loiselle believes the new vehicle makes the borough’s rescue capabilities even stronger.
“I think it will be a big asset to the fire department and residents because it’s smaller and therefore it can fit in tight places,” she said. “They already have a great fleet, so it’s just adding to it.”
She also appreciates the ongoing commitment of the firefighters to serving and protecting the borough.
“Heaven forbid, you don’t want to think of the worst case scenarios but they do and they train for it so they’re ready,” Kavulich Loiselle said. “It’s a great thing that our fire department is always seeking out ways to stay on top of everything.”
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