“It’s a Boy”: Columbia Fire Co. receives Shenandoah’s first rescue truck
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - John Desjardine raises the light tower on the Columbia Fire Company's newest truck, Rescue 741, a 1999 International/E-One, in a demonstration at the firehouse on Monday, June 5, 2017.
SHENANDOAH – The Columbia Fire Company’s sign along PA Route 54 / West Centre Street reads “It’s a Boy!”, welcoming the borough’s first Rescue truck to the company.
Earlier this year, the fire company sold it’s 1990 GMC Equipment Carrier, and acquired a 1999 International/E-One Rescue truck, Rescue 741.
The truck was put into service on May 26, making its unmarked debut in the fire truck parade for Englewood’s Friendship Fire Company block party.
“It’s equipped with two pre-connected rescue tools. It had a portable rescue tool with a portable generator. It has a 6000-Watt light tower. It has four portable 500-Watt lights, and four permanent-mounted 1500-Watt lights, so all-in-all, you’ve got 14,000 Watts of scene lighting, to light up an area,” John Desjardine said in an interview at the fire station on Monday. “It is equipped with airbags, high-angle rescue equipment, and a little basic water rescue equipment. It does have a lot of HAZMAT equipment… It carries a ventilation fan, and three saws. It’s going to have a three-bottle cascade system, that will be complete in the near future. It has various tool boxes, and stabilization equipment, also.”
According to Desjardine, the truck is Shenandoah’s first ever Rescue truck.
“The company was formerly using rescue tools on the Engine, which was basically an Engine that just carried a couple tools and equipment. Now, it’s self-sufficient.” Desjardine added.
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