Highland Heights Takes Delivery of New Fire Truck

It isn't often that the Fire Department has a new truck and fire personnel are excited about getting it on the road.

"I can't wait," said William Bernhard, firefighter/paramedic and coordinator of emergency medical services. "We've been working on this for over a year now."

Bernhard was part of the committee that prepared specifications for the new rescue squad, which was delivered last week and is expected to have all its radios and other equipment installed and be ready for the road in about a month.

The rescue squad cost $212,000 and will replace a 1997 model. The department also has another rescue squad that was purchased in 2003. The new truck has LED lights, airbags for firefighter/paramedics riding in back, a reflective finish and a rear view camera, among other features.

"The whole idea was to update and modernize," Fire Chief William Turner said.

Because department personnel were also involved in the design, they made sure that equipment can all be safely secured so nothing will be moving around in transit.

Bernhard said fire department staff also are pleased that everyone will be able to stand upright inside – the roof is 76 inches from the floor, 8 inches higher than the squad its replacing and 4 inches higher than the 2003 truck.

One another feature will not be ready when the truck hits the road because they're still waiting for the equipment to go into production. Turner said the department received a grant last year and will have a power loader to lift stretchers into the truck.

"It can hold a 700-pound patient," he said. "It's physically mounted to the truck and lifts like a machine on a garage truck."

Turner said Highland Heights will be one of the first departments to have the power loader.