The Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department now has a new ladder truck to keep up with the growing needs of the communities it serves. The truck was delivered earlier this week, said PJ Duncan, PVVFD Fire Chief, but will not be responding to calls until all of its necessary equipment is installed, likely in a few weeks.
Known as “Tower 1” in the department, the truck cost just over $1 million, Duncan said, and was funded through a collaborative effort between Pleasant View and Coopertown and the department. Each town committed $350,000, and the PVVFD put up the rest.
“We appreciate the Town of Pleasant View and the Town of Coopertown for working with us to provide their financial contributions for this ladder truck. This cooperation shows both towns and the fire department see the need for citizen and firefighter safety,” he said. “We’ve come together and partnered for progress and future growth in these communities and we will continue to focus on our mission, vision and values to serve.”
Duncan said changes in building height restrictions, the building of occupancies such as hotels, and the growth of commercial, multi-family, and single-family structures has made an aerial apparatus a necessity to provide safe and effective service to area residents and visitors.
The truck is a 2019 aerial platform manufactured by Pierce with a 100-foot ladder with a bucket at the end that can safely carry up to four firefighters. The chief said the apparatus will provide access to windows, roof tops, other structural areas that could not be reached by ground ladders carried on other PVVFD vehicles.
Tower 1 also carries a 2000 gallon per minute pump, onboard water tank, seating for four, and a variety of fire and rescue tools. It will operate from PVVFD Station 1 on Main Street in Pleasant View.
The truck will respond to fire calls involving commercial buildings, high-life occupancies, and in neighborhoods with multi-story homes and steep roofs. It will also be used as needed at technical rescue calls or other fire incidents and available to surrounding agencies for automatic or mutual aid assistance. The truck will also provide points that can be used to obtain a better insurance rating when the PVVFD is evaluated by the Insurance Service Office, Duncan said.
