DISTRICT GETS NEW FIRETRUCK

EGYPT MILLS -- The East County Fire Protection District took delivery of its newest piece of firefighting equipment on Saturday, and used it the same day. The 1992 Pierce Suburban pumper made its first run Saturday to a vehicle fire.

"We're very proud of the new fire truck," said Fire Chief Jim Hanks. "It's going to be a very important part of our firefighting equipment."

The fire engine was manufactured by Pierce Fire Apparatus of Appleton, Wis., and sold by Schumacher Fire Equipment of Washington, Mo.

Hanks said the fire engine body is mounted on a 1992 International, 2500 series truck chassis, with diesel engine and automatic transmission. The chassis was purchased from Wiethop Truck Sales of Cape Girardeau.

The fire engine is equipped with a 1,500 gallon-per-minute, two-stage, midship water pump, and carries a 1,000-gallon water tank. There are one four-inch and one 1-inch pre-connects for fire hose lines.

A pre-piped 1,250 gpm deluge gun can also be dismounted from the fire engine and placed on the ground at a fire scene, Hanks said.

Water is supplied to the main pump through a five-inch suction hose. The fire engine is also equipped with a pre-wired electrical generator to provide power at the fire scene.

Assistant Fire Chief Charles Brawley said the fire district purchased the truck on a lease-purchase plan for $155,000. He said the engine will be kept at the district's Egypt Mills fire station on Highway 177.

"The district now has nine pieces of firefighting equipment at the two fire stations, and we're working on a tenth, another water-tanker truck," Brawley said. "We expect to have the tanker in service by this spring." He said the tanker is being constructed locally by East County firefighters, using one of the district's existing truck chassis. A new 2,000-gallon water tank will be mounted on the chassis.

Brawley said water tankers are especially important to rural fire districts in the county. "The more you have, the better off you are," he said.

Brawley said the more tankers that respond to a call, the fewer tankers have to shuttle back and forth on the highway to get water.

The district's other station, the Hanover Fire Station, is near the junction of county roads 618, 621 and 638, three miles north of Cape Girardeau.

The East Country Fire Protection District was organized in spring 1981 with one fire truck, no fire stations, and little equipment.

In August 1985, voters in the fire district approved incorporation of the district and a tax levy to support the fire department. It was the first fire district in the county to approve such a levy.

The East County Fire District now provides fire protection to over 1,000 families and a total population of nearly 5,000 people who live within an 80-square-mile area of east Cape Girardeau County north of Cape Girardeau.

The fire district's Insurance Services Office fire insurance premium rating was lowered in March 1989 from 9 to 8. During the winter of 1989, the ISO classification dropped to 7 because of continued improvements that have been made in training and equipment.

Brawley said a lower ISO classification usually means a reduction in residential and commercial fire insurance premiums.