Superstition Fire and Medical District recently added a Pierce Velocity Pumper to its fleet.
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“Moving to a clean cab design, larger compartment space was added outside of the cab for equipment. Inside the cab, we added extra compartments for body armor and ballistic vests. On the roof of the vehicle, there is a 120-volt air-conditioner to keep the vehicle cool in the heat,” SFMD said in a March 11 Facebook post @sfmd.az.gov.
The SFMD Governing Board approved the $724,518 purchase from Hughes Fire Equipment Jan. 15, 2020, according to the meeting’s minutes.
The expected completion date of the apparatus was eight to 13 months after contract execution, Assistant Chief Rick Ochs said in a staff report for the meeting.
The Pierce Velocity Pumper has external compartments for self-contained breathing apparatus and personal protective gear. The external compartments keep contaminated gear outside the cab and reduce employee exposure to toxic and carcinogenic agents found at emergency scenes, Fire Chief Mike Farber said in the 2019-20 SFMD operational plan.
The Superstition Fire and Medical District provides fire suppression, fire prevention, wildland protection, advanced life support, rescue, extrication and medical transportation services out of five fire stations:
- Fire Station 261, 1135 W Superstition Blvd. in Apache Junction.
- Fire Station 262, 3955 E. Superstition Blvd. in Apache Junction
- Fire Station 263, 1645 S. Idaho Road in Apache Junction.
- Fire Station 264, 7557 E. U.S. Highway 60 in Gold Canyon.
- Fire Station 265, 9294 E. Don Donnelly Trail in Gold Canyon
The district is also part of the Phoenix Automatic Aid System, which responds to calls in the neighboring cities and communities around Apache Junction.
The district provides fire suppression, fire prevention, wildland protection, advanced life support, rescue, extrication and medical transportation services out of five fire stations. The district encompasses 62 square miles and serves the city of Apache Junction and the unincorporated areas of Gold Canyon, Superstition Foothills, Goldfield Foothills and Entrada Del Oro, according to SFMD’s website.
