Lucknow Fire Department welcomes new pumper truck
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
The Lucknow and District Fire Department received delivery of a new pumper truck on Monday, Sept. 11. The truck is a Spartan FC-94 manufactured by Dependable Emergency Vehicles in Brampton and is intended to serve residents of Huron-Kinloss and Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (ACW) as a primary response vehicle for the next 15 years. The total cost of the truck is $666,614.50 split between both municipalities.
Lucknow and District Fire Chief Christopher Cleave, whose last day on the job is Friday, Sept. 15 after recently tendering his resignation, was excited to see the new emergency vehicle arrive on site just after 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon. “It’s always a proud moment when you get a really nice, big, shiny red fire truck show up at your doorstep,” said Cleave. The Fire Chief emphasized that this vehicle meets all of the Fire Protection Association criteria and ensured that it will improve the safety of firefighters and allow for more efficient operations.
Huron-Kinloss Deputy-Mayor Jim Hanna said the new pumper truck is the result of teamwork. “We’re very, very proud and very, very grateful. We’ve been able to work with our partners in ACW on this fire service. And with Chris’ leadership, we’ve been able to acquire this truck.”
Representatives of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) were on site to deliver a cheque for $300,000 to Huron-Kinloss to help cover the community’s share of the cost. Michael Pahor, NWMO Site Director, South Bruce, said, “We are pleased to support the municipality as they announce the acquisition of a critical piece of firefighting equipment. As an organization we prioritize public and employee safety and this investment into lifesaving equipment will help keep residents safe for now and years to come.”
Earlier this year, with limited notice, ACW Council approved $333,307.25 for the new pumper, electing to move $250,000 from the Lucknow Fire Truck Reserve and $84,000 from the COVID-19 Reserve in order to pay its share.
ACW Mayor Glen McNeil said, “As Mayor and on behalf of ACW Council we are happy to partner with Huron-Kinloss in the purchase of a new fire truck for the Lucknow Fire Department. This collaboration provides efficiencies for our residents, and up-to-date equipment for our volunteer fire fighters to use in the coverage areas of both municipalities.”
After the cheque presentation, Chief Cleave and members of the Lucknow and District Fire Department conducted a simulated push back ceremony. This practice dates back to the days of horse-drawn equipment that required firefighters to manually push fire engines into bays after penning their horses. With the emergence of motorized vehicles, the tradition carried over as a reminder and celebration of how fire departments across the country have evolved and improved over the years.