U.C.F.D. adds five tanker trucks
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Firefighter/EMT Andrew Burnette stands beside tanker 4, one of the Union County Fire Department's newest acquisitions. Each of the vehicles is equipped with a 2,000 gallon water tank.

The Union County Fire Department dramatically upgraded its firefighting capabilities, adding five 2,000 gallon "tanker-pumpers" to the department.

The previous tanker trucks have only carried a 1,000 gallon tank.

"Where we have had an engine and a 1,000 gallon tanker, we can now have an engine and a 2,000 gallon tanker, 50 percent more water on a scene than we had before," Union County Fire Chief Charles Worden said.

"The more water you have [at a scene] early, the more likely you are to be able to extinguish the fire," Chief Worden said. "They will enhance our firefighting capabilities considerably."

The tankers are being placed at stations 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10. Four of the five trucks are already in place, while the one reserved for station 10 will likely arrive next week.

According to Chief Worden, the trucks cost just over $147,000 each. A committee of the Volunteer Firefighters Association has been working on this upgrade for more than two years.

"They did research as to cost, availability, the better vendor, [and getting] more truck for the money. After getting all the specifications, Southern Fire of Jasper had the most truck for the least money," Chief Worden said.