Venango Volunteer Fire Department ready to ‘quick attack’ grass fires

The Venango Volunteer Fire Department purchased a new vehicle to help them fight grass fires quicker and more efficiently than before. After around three months in the shop, the vehicle is nearly ready for its maiden voyage.

Lieutenant Preston Case with the Venango Fire Department said he and a few others have been working on bringing this new vehicle to the department for about five years now, and the Rural Fire Board has been allocating money in the budget for a few years to purchase it.

The 2015 Ford F-550 will be used as a Type 6 grass rig, designed for what Case said is referred to as “quick attack.”

The rig will help members of the fire department get to a grass or brush fire quickly and start extinguishing while the fire engines prepare to dispatch to the scene.

Venango Fire Chief Steve Tucker pointed out that because the department has been short on numbers, this new rig will help firefighters get to the grass fires faster with less manpower.

He added the rig is lightweight, quick, agile, and good for getting into tight spaces.

After purchasing the truck, it spent around three months in the shop getting the bed built and ready for firefighting.

It still needs some finishing touches, Case said, as they are still putting equipment on it and are planning to have Travis Faber of Faber Signs add some lines and “Venango Fire Department” to the vehicle.

 Total, Case estimates the new rig cost around $90,000, including the cost of the truck itself and the work that was done to the bed.

They got the vehicle back from the mechanic Wednesday night, August 4.

“We were overjoyed to get it,” Case said.

Because all of the equipment has not been installed, the new rig has yet to see a fire, but when it’s ready to roll out, Case believes it will benefit the fire department.