There are two new vehicles behind the firehouse doors for the Great Bend Fire Department, thanks to some recent additions.
“We are excited to have these two new vehicles in our fleet to serve the public,” Fire Chief Luke McCormick said. “It is important to keep a well maintained fleet of emergency vehicles in the department. We need these vehicles to do the job they are designed for.”
The first vehicle the department received was a new 2018 pumper truck that replaced a 2009 model. The new truck is equipped with all the newest features to help the department fight fires.
The 2009 pumper truck was traded in on the new one saving the department $200,000 on the new one. The old truck will be refurbished and put back in the line of duty for another department.
The second vehicle was a 2017 ambulance that replaced a 1999 model that is still at the department, but being used as a backup ambulance. The department replaces ambulances every two years rotating them out of the fleet, the chief said.
“We rotate vehicles out to make sure we have a well maintained fleet of vehicles which is crucial in the our line of work,” McCormick Said. “Like other vehicles, parts start to break down and we need to stay current with new equipment. We also retain the resell value of the vehicles when we trade them in, saving the department money.”
As of now, the department has 13 vehicles at its disposal, excluding speciality vehicles or staff vehicles.
The department provides fire protection and rescue for the City of Great Bend and serves approximately 20,000 Barton County residents in the following townships: Buffalo, Liberty, South Bend, and Great Bend. In addition, the department provides EMS response and transport to the City of Great Bend, six townships, and the Cities of Albert and Pawnee Rock. The total population served is 20,000 people, and the average response time is 3.5 minutes in the City and eight minutes in the county.