Photo provided German Township Fire Department has a new $793,000 custom-made rescue engine primarily to respond to vehicle accidents. The 2023 Pierce Enforcer arrived at the Taylorsville Fire Department on Aug. 31.
TAYLORSVILLE — The German Township Fire Department has received delivery of a $793,000 custom-made rescue engine primarily to respond to vehicle accidents.
The 2023 Pierce Enforcer arrived at the Taylorsville Fire Department on Aug. 31, German Township Fire Chief Matt Lynch said. After additional equipment is placed on the 30,160 pound engine and firefighters are trained, the 33-foot engine will be fully operational by Oct. 7, Lynch said.
Due to the high number of accidents on Interstate 65, as well as near the Indiana Premium Outlets, the new engine was designed to handle vehicle fires and any type of specialty rescue call with extensive extrication equipment, he said.
But with a 750 gallon tank and a 1,500 gallons per minute pump, the new engine can serve as a backup to fire trucks dedicated to fighting structure fires, he said.
Four years ago, German Township volunteers sat down with representatives of MacQueen Emergency of Whitestown to begin designing a fire truck on a computer from the ground up that specifically met the township’s needs, Lynch said.
At the same time, the fire department tried not to touch their cumulative fire fund, which is allocated by the office of German Township Trustee Chris West and his advisory board.
Countless hours were spent on several details from being both as fiscally responsible as possible, as well as being service- and safety-oriented, a fire department news release stated.
When there was agreement on a design, a MacQueen representative sent the plan to Pierce Manufacturing, an Appleton, Wisconsin manufacturer of customized fire and rescue apparatus. Lynch said Pierce would make refinements, send it back to German Township to allow firefighters to make adjustments before the plan was returned to the manufacturer.
One unique feature the Pierce Enforcer has is a HAAS alert system integrated with navigation systems and apps, Lynch said. It can provide motorists with real time information that an emergency vehicle may be approaching to help reduce accidents, he said.
Other features include an airbag safety system, headsets to protect hearing, and additional seats in the engine for four people, the release stated.
The engine also has room for an extensive supply of oil dry absorbent material, in case of an oil or hazardous material spill, Lynch said.
The truck that German Township had been using to haul the material did not have sufficient room to store an acceptable amount, the fire chief said.
“That often meant an engine had to go back to the fire department, load more material from the shed, and bring it back to the scene,” Lynch said.
Although German Township volunteers and the Edinburgh Fire Department have designated coverage areas in the vicinity of the Indiana Premium Outlets, they often provide mutual aid to each other when necessary, the fire chief said.
