BAY MINETTE, Alabama — The City of Bay Minette has a new ladder truck thanks to the grant writing skills of the Bay Minette Fire Department personnel. The fire truck was purchased with a FEMA grant for a total of $637,689. The grant funding was 90/10 match requiring the city to pay $32,261 toward the purchase.

Mayor Robert A. “Bob” Wills praised the department staff for all their hard work in acquiring the grant. ”It would have put a significant financial burden on the City if we would have had to purchase this truck outright. Obtaining the grant made it possible,” Wills said. “This is a terrific asset for our City which gives our Fire Department increased capability to serve our citizens.”

The 2016 Farrara Cinder custom 6-man cab fire truck is now in operation and replaces a 1978 fire truck that the Fire Department had in use. The new equipment includes a 77-foot ladder and is lighter and has a shorter turning radius.

Some of its features include a 1,500 gallons per minute pump, 500 gallon water tank, large cab for scene rehab for firefighters, 1500 GMP Elevated Master Stream/Stand Pipe for commercial roof top fires, more storage capacity and it is set-up to assist with technical rescue operations. 

Fire Chief Mike Minchew said the new fire truck allows for “more reliable, faster and safer response to large homes or commercial/industrial facilities.” He said it is smaller in size to accommodate residential neighborhoods.

Minchew said other benefits include its lower operating cost, higher pump volume and “set-up time is less than half the time to safely set up and raise the ladder compared to the existing truck.”