WASHINGTON — The Washington Township Fire Department has added a temporary replacement vehicle to its fleet to maintain full operational readiness after its primary heavy rescue truck suffered severe damage from an electrical fire.
Four department personnel recently completed a round-trip journey to Union Grove, Alabama, to bring back a 2013 Pierce heavy rescue pumper. The rig was provided on loan by Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus, one of the nation’s largest dealers and suppliers of used emergency vehicles.
Heavy rescue trucks serve as essential “toolboxes on wheels” for rural and suburban fire departments, carrying hydraulic extraction equipment (“Jaws of Life”), heavy stabilization jacks, breathing apparatus refills, and technical rescue gear used during vehicle extrications and structural collapses.
The loaner vehicle ensures that Washington Township firefighters can continue responding to vehicular collisions, farm rescue incidents, and structural fires without a drop in response capability while their primary rig remains out of commission.
The temporary arrangement follows an unexpected on-duty electrical fire that broke out in the department’s primary rescue vehicle. The blaze caused thermal and smoke damage focused around the truck’s wiring harness and cab assembly.
- Incident Cause: Electrical system malfunction
- Replacement Apparatus: 2013 Pierce Heavy Rescue Pumper (on loan from Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus)
- Trip Details: Four crew members traveled to Union Grove, Ala., to inspect, equip, and drive the rig back to Indiana.
- Next Steps: The loaner truck will remain in active service at Washington Township until insurance adjusters and manufacturing representatives determine whether the original vehicle will be repaired or replaced.
Department leadership noted that the loaner rig will allow the agency to maintain seamless emergency coverage across its response district with no interruption to public safety services.
