Fire truck cab is on the assembly line.
Fallon/Churchill Fire Department has contracted with Darley Company to build two new fire engines for the Fallon/Churchill County community.
The new additions will be direct replacements for Darley engines that have served the department for more than 25 years.
The relationship between Darley Company and the Fallon/Churchill Volunteer Fire Department is 30 years strong and expected to be mutually beneficial for many more.
“Two things have become evident in the past few decades: Darley Company makes an incredibly strong and robust product and 27 years is a lot to ask of any piece of equipment,” Fire Chief Jared Dooley said.
As equipment ages it requires more maintenance to make sure it remains a viable tool with which to fight fire. This maintenance can require parts that are hard to find or parts that no longer exist.
“We are fortunate to have a great maintenance staff that work diligently in-house and these individuals make every possible effort to keep equipment up and running,” Dooley said.
The new engines, manufactured by Darley Company with some help from Spartan Chassis, are expected to arrive this fall.
“The engines will have all the functionality of their predecessors, but with all the amenities and safety options you expect in something new,” said Alex Haffner, supervisor of paid personnel.
The engines will be outfitted with polymer bodies to help prevent rust and with 10-man cabs to bring all the manpower needed for any incident. A 2,000 gallon-per-minute pump will sit in the heart of these engines ready to deliver as much water as is needed.
Upon their arrival in Fallon, the two new engines will be further outfitted with lights, GPS, decals, satellite phones, hand-held radios, computer workstations, AED machines, first-aid kits, and self-contained breathing apparatus for each seat.
“We are very excited to see these two giants in their rightful spots here at Station 1,” Dooley said.
Churchill County voters approved Question 1 in 2020, which continued an existing tax override specifically earmarked for the purchase of necessary equipment and fire engines. The funds collected through the tax override during the past nine years were used to purchase these two engines.
“It is with great anticipation that we look to the future and our ability to serve the community with these new purchases,” said Dooley.
Anne McMillin is public information officer with Churchill County.
