HVFD to purchase new fire engine thanks to mill levy increase

    Engine 11 has served Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department for 31 years, but it’s time for an upgrade. It’s a need local firefighters have felt for several years, but as first assistant chief Josh Young pointed out, there have not previously been funds available to move forward quickly.
    That changed last November when voters in the Holyoke Fire Protection District approved a mill levy increase. That district roughly covers the land in Phillips County east of Paoli, excluding the city limits of Holyoke. Based on the 205-202 result of the election, the people did not seem to overwhelmingly favor the measure. Granted, there are over 3,000 accounts within the district, so it’s hard to say how the other 85 percent felt about it.
    Before long, residents will be able to see for themselves whether the mill levy increase was worthwhile after all. The resulting tax dollars will be funding the purchase of a new Timberwolf fire engine from Rosenbauer. The district board is still in the process of finalizing specs, and production will take 15 months once everything is approved. It will be next fall or winter before the engine is delivered to Holyoke.
    Last month, Young traveled with firefighters Bob Heldenbrand and Lance Murray to the Rosenbauer production center in Wyoming, Minnesota, where the new fire engine will be built. They were joined by former firefighter Mark Brown, who offered his expertise on trucks and pumps.
    At the preconstruction meeting, the spec sheet was reviewed line by line, and the Holyoke representatives had the chance to make changes to fit the department’s unique needs. They also viewed similar engines that were in various stages of production, including Yuma’s new truck, which has since been completed.
    
What does a new engine mean for locals?
    One thing that influenced the department’s push for a new engine was HVFD’s ISO rating, which affects residents’ insurance rates. Not having a reserve engine was something that negatively affected the rating.
    Since Engine 11 is still functional, it will be fully maintained and put on reserve status. In a scenario where HVFD needs to call for mutual aid, they will also have an additional engine they can utilize themselves.
    Having a reserve engine also means that it can be used if another is out of commission. The Amherst department, for example, is also in the Holyoke Fire Protection District. It uses an engine almost identical to the one going into reserve, so it will be a seamless backup if needed.
    “We have always had great support from the community,” Heldenbrand said. “Being able to upgrade a 31-year-old engine is going to be pretty beneficial to us.”
    “And definitely beneficial to the community,” Young added. He went on to explain that any steps that the department can take to make practices more efficient mean better service for the people.
    The updated equipment that will accompany the new engine will also be safer for personnel and will make better use of their numbers.
    Engine 11 can only carry two firefighters, but five are needed to operate the vehicle in the case of a grass fire. That means additional firefighters must be transported to the site separately. The new Timberwolf, on the other hand, will only require two people for operation.
    Alternatively, when responding to a motor vehicle accident, the department needs more personnel on hand. As the Timberwolf can carry five people, more firefighters will be able to arrive at the scene together in a single vehicle.
    Engine 11 is classified as a type II structural engine and a type III wildland engine. Another advantage of upgrading is that the Timberwolf will be classified as a type I structural engine, due to its greater flow rate of 1,000 gallons per minute.
    All of that amounts to better protection of people and property and safer conditions for the volunteer firefighters who will be using the engine.
    Though it will still be some time before the engine is their own, firefighters hope that once their own Timberwolf is finished, it will serve the community at least as long as Engine 11 has.