BIG WHEELS: After more than 30 years of relying on the same truck, a Spartan ER Metro Star pumper truck has joined the ranks at Eagleswood. (Photos by Jenna Marcy)

The Eagleswood Volunteer Fire Department officially welcomed its newest member – a Spartan ER Metro Star pumper truck – on Thursday, August 8. For the Eagleswood volunteer firefighters, it was a day five years in the making.

The company, which had relied on essentially the same truck for over 30 years, recognized the need for a new truck under previous boss William Chadwick.

After consultation with the Eagleswood Township Committee and intensive planning by all areas of township administration, the new truck was finally delivered under the leadership of current Chief Keith Tindall.

“Our old model, a Grumman that we’ve had since 1990, was showing its age,” Tindall explained. “It had a weak water pump and a leak in the tank, and the inspections left a lot to be desired. So we needed to upgrade it for the safety of our volunteers and the residents of Eagleswood.”

Among the many features of the new vehicle are foam pumps to fight chemical fires (such as those that could develop at Eagles Nest Airport), a powerful hose capable of pumping 2,000 gallons of water per minute, tools such as traffic markers for use in car crashes, improved radio technology and recovery tools. The vehicle also features improved safety and rehabilitation equipment for the firefighters themselves, from air conditioning, which was missing from the previous vehicle, to lighted steps on the side of the vehicle, to air packs certified by the National Fire Protection Association.

With the upgrade, firefighters will be able to “better protect the people of Eagleswood, no matter what the emergency brings,” said former Chief John Headley Jr.

The truck is also beneficial to surrounding towns. With the increasing number of mutual aid calls, the Spartan becomes a critical part of stabilizing emergencies in other parts of the region without depleting Eagleswood’s resources. Because the new truck acts as a force multiplier, EVFC can now deploy two teams of volunteers to active emergencies without putting one team at a disadvantage.

To celebrate the new addition, the fire department invited the community committee to the fire station for the official unveiling of the fire truck and to discuss the future of the organization.

“We just completed our five-year plan and now it’s time to do a new one,” Tindall said. “We’re always looking for ways to improve ourselves and our contribution to the community.”

Tindall and the rest of the company expressed their sincere gratitude to Mayor Debra A. Rivas, Deputy Mayor Michael J. Pasternak and Committee Chair Michelle Sysol for their continued support.

— Jenna Marcy