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Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell shows off the department's new truck. Rather than the standard red, the new fire engine has been painted blue in honor of the local high school's colors.
Saltillo Deputy Fire Chief Chris Jenkins, left, and Capt. Jamie Thomas work on sorting and placing equipment into the department's new fire truck.
Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell slides a back board into an equipment slot on the back of the new truck.
Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell drives the department's new fire truck down Mobile Street on Friday afternoon.
Saltillo Deputy Fire Chief Chris Jenkins test fits the bracket for a water cannon onto the department's new firetruck on Friday afternoon.
Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell shows off the department's new truck. Rather than the standard red, the new fire engine has been painted blue in honor of the local high school's colors.
Saltillo Deputy Fire Chief Chris Jenkins, left, and Capt. Jamie Thomas work on sorting and placing equipment into the department's new fire truck.
Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell slides a back board into an equipment slot on the back of the new truck.
Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell drives the department's new fire truck down Mobile Street on Friday afternoon.
Saltillo Deputy Fire Chief Chris Jenkins test fits the bracket for a water cannon onto the department's new firetruck on Friday afternoon.
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SALTILLO • Saltillo Fire Chief Mark Nowell is happy to sing the blues ... as long as that means talking about the city’s brand new fire truck.
The city recently took possession of a 2022 Pierce Sabre Custom Pumper. Instead of the traditional black over red design, this one is painted bright blue – Saltillo blue to be exact.
“We’ve got a 5A high school in a small city. Most of the folks around here have kids or have had kids in school,” Nowell said. “It’s about supporting the community.”
Saltillo purchased the semi-custom fire engine at the state contract price of $560,000 to replace the 20-year-old Engine 1, which had struggled to meet the re-certification minimums. In order to maintain its existing fire rating, the city is required to have two certified engines.
The fire department is currently introducing the new truck to the community it serves. Part of that process is getting the new truck out on the streets of the city.
The fire chief said the new truck doesn't just look good; it's practical, too. Shorter than the vehicle it replaced, the new truck has a tighter turning radius. That'll be helpful, the chief said.
“We have a lot of narrow roads and it can get congested in some subdivisions,” Nowell said. “We have been doing a lot of driving around the city to make sure we know how it will fit in certain places.”
The tours of the city have prompted plenty of waves and stares as the residents start to take in the idea of a blue fire truck. During a recent excursion into the Old South Plantation subdivision, they had to turn the truck around in a cul-de-sac on the backside of the subdivision.
“When we drove back past a house under construction, one of the workers was running along side us with his phone getting pictures,” Nowell said with a smile.
The new truck features a more powerful 450-horsepower engine that has get up and go that the old truck never had. It also has a larger pump, a foam system and can carry more fire hose. The truck features roll up doors on nearly all of the outside storage compartments for safety.
“When you are out on the scene of a wreck and stopped on the side of the road, if you have to walk around a (swinging) door, that puts the firefighter out in traffic,” Nowell said. “These doors allow the men to stay closer to the truck.”
The truck also uses modern technology to ensure firefighters and the general public are a little safer. Inside the truck, there are warning lights and alarms to make sure all the doors are closed and all the firemen are buckled in their seats. It also has a transmitter onboard that communicates with travel apps such as Waze. That will alert other motorists when the truck is racing to the scene or at the scene fighting a fire.
“That was not an optional feature,” Nowell said. “It’s standard equipment now.
The department had to deviate from the standard on the inside. Sitting in the drivers seat is like sitting in the cockpit of a jet airplane. There are controls, gauges, switches and dials everywhere. Saltillo is a small fire department, and there are times when the only person in the truck is the driver. Nowell said the interior is designed so that all of the controls are within reach of whomever is behind the wheel.
The city used its fire engine fund and a state fire grant to pay down around $175,000 on the new truck. The remainder will be funded through a low interest loan through the Mississippi Development Authority.
The city will use at least $20,000 a year from the annual fire insurance rebate money to pay down the loan. The remainder will come from the city's general fund, specifically from sales tax revenues.
As for the fire department's old Engine 1, it underwent some repairs while the department awaited the arrival of the new truck. The fixes helped it pass recertification, enabling it to serve for another five years.
The Saltillo Fire Department sold the truck, and it's now serving a fire department in Texas.
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