Lumby’s firefighting forces have been bolstered.
The keys for a new water tender were handed over to the Lumby Fire Department Wednesday.
“It’s rigged up for forestry interface response and not just for hauling water,” said Tony Clayton, chief.
The new vehicle holds 1,500 gallons of water and it’s four-wheel drive so it’s able to tackle all forms of terrain.
“There’s a good sized pump on it,” said Clayton.
A special feature is a device on top of the Rosenbauer truck that allows water to be applied to a fire.
“We can spray water 150 feet while going down the road,” said Clayton.
There is also considerable storage for various pieces of equipment, including a portable water tank.
The new vehicle replaces a 22-year-old tender, which could only be used for transporting water.
The new vehicle will cover the village and parts of rural Lumby, and the $300,000 price tag was included in the Regional District of North Okanagan budget.
“We planned on it for five years,” said Rick Fairbairn, RDNO chairperson and rural Lumby director, of putting money aside in reserves for the purchase.
“This is a good example of prudent planning.”
The older tender was traded in and the dealer, Rocky Mountain Phoenix, has sold the truck to the Okanagan Indian Band Fire Department.
