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EASTPOINTE — A group of young children who gathered at the Eastpointe Fire Station Nov. 17 anxiously awaited the arrival of the city’s brand-new fire engine.
Their dads work for the department, and when the new vehicle arrived — with sirens flashing — the kids couldn’t wait to check it out.
Also giving the custom-built truck a once-over were a number of dignitaries and firefighters, who have waited for the truck for more than two years.
“Isn’t this beautiful?” City Council member Harvey Curley said. “I’m so proud for the Fire Department — a wonderful thing to happen.”
The truck was manufactured by Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp., known as KME, based outside New Orleans. The red truck is considered a pumper, also referred to as an engine. The new vehicle does not have a ladder.
“This is considered a pumper,” Battalion Chief Joe Zangara said. “Its main purpose is to carry water and pump water.”
The custom-built engine will be the city’s main fire truck and will be utilized the most.
“This will be the frontline response vehicle for medicals and fires,” Fire Chief Jason Clark said.
A committee consisting of Zangara, Deputy Chief Alton Polk, Lt. Mike Szczesniak and firefighter James Heinzman conducted research and had many discussions within the department to determine the right vehicle for the city.
“The committee solicited the firefighters on what they want to see on this vehicle and what was important to them,” Zangara said. “What do we have on our existing engine that we don’t necessarily like. What would we like to see different. Ergonomics was a big thing.”
The new fire engine was built from scratch. It has a water tank capacity of about 900 gallons, and a 2,000 gallon per minute pump.
“It will be outfitted with a full array of advanced life support medical equipment,” Zangara said. “It will have extrication tools, which is basically the Jaws of Life.”
The new truck also has updated technology, hoses and safety cameras. The pumper took about 2 1/2 years overall from start to finish to build.
“The purchase was made in March of 2023,” Zangara said. “You do a pre-construction build where we sit at a table and line-item things out. Then it gets sent off to engineering. They start ordering parts in, and it’s a slow process.”
After the new truck arrived last week, fire chaplain Kevin Lancaster offered a blessing.
“Heavenly father, we come before you today with grateful hearts as we dedicate this fire engine and all who serve from it. Lord, you are our refuge and our strength and we ask for your covering to rest upon this department, this new equipment and every firefighter who answers the call for help,” Lancaster said.
“Bless this engine. May it be a vessel for protection, speed and lifesaving power. Let every tool be touched by your hands as it rolls through our city,” Lancaster said. “Let it carry your peace into moments of chaos, your wisdom into moments of confusion and your strength into moments of dangers. We pray for our firefighters. Keep them safe as they protect our people of Eastpointe. Bless this community as they serve.”
After the prayers, a number of firefighters washed down the rig and pushed it into the station.
“This is a tradition that goes back to the 1800s in the fire service. The firefighters would come back with their rig, and they would take the horses,” Clark said. “They would take the horses off, they would wash down the tires and wash down the steam pump and then they would push it back into the station. To honor the tradition of the fire service, when we get new vehicles, this is one of the things that we do.”
Clark thanked the City Council, administration and residents for their support with the new vehicle.
“We appreciate everyone’s support on this,” Clark said.
The department’s firefighters will undergo training before the new pumper is on the road. The process will take about a month.
The new fire engine has a 25-year life expectancy. It will replace the city’s 2004 pumper truck. Clark said the former truck will be auctioned off and money from the sale will go back into the Fire Department.
This is the second new fire truck for the city in the past two years. In March 2024, the city received a state-of-the-art, 102-foot ladder truck,which replaced the city’s 1998 ladder truck.
