Fire Department Thankful For New Platform Truck
May 28, 2008
By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer
Greenwood, SC - There are very few nearly $1 million investments a municipality can attain that residents hope will seldom be used.
An aerial platform fire truck would certainly be one of those investments.
However, if the need for one should arise, the City of Greenwood Fire Department can now respond with one of the best platform trucks money can buy.
An informal dedication took place Wednesday at City of Greenwood Fire Station 3, the purpose of which was to dedicate the station itself -- which went into service in 2005 -- as well as the new Sutphen SPH100 Aerial Platform Truck the city has acquired. |
City of Greenwood Fire Department personnel demonstrate the capabilities of the new Sutphen SPH100 Aerial Platform Truck on Wednesday during a dedication ceremony for the vehicle. (Staff photo by Chris Trainor) |
Numerous firefighters attended the event, as well as members of Greenwood City Council, the Greenwood CPW board, Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson, city officials, city judges and representatives from Greenwood School District 50 and the Greenwood Chamber.
Greenwood Fire Chief Terry Strange talked about the new truck.
“The truck has a vertical reach of 100 feet and a horizontal reach of 90 feet,” said Strange, who added the 1973 ladder truck the fire department has been using required a firefighter to climb the entire 100 feet, whereas the new truck has a bucket that lifts the firefighter to the desired hight.
“In the old truck we had a water tower operation where about 750 gallons was about the best we could do,” Strange said. “With this one, we have the capacity of 2,000 gallons per minute. It offers much more firepower in doing our job.”
Strange added the new truck has a more effective reach over the cab than any other aerial platform truck in the industry.
The chief also took time to praise the firefighters who man the station 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“I want to thank my personnel,” Strange said. “I’ve got the best in the state and I’m not just saying that. I’m very proud of each and every one of them. Everything we ask them to do they do with a smile and don’t mind doing it.”
Nicholson praised city officials, fire department officials, CPW representatives and others for working together to make Station 3 and the new platform truck a reality.
“It’s all about working together,” the mayor said. “If we are going to do things to make our community better, we have to work together. This is a prime example: substation number three and the new pumper truck. When we think about our community, one of the top concerns is safety. We want to make sure our citizens are safe.”
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