The Revelstoke fire department will receive its new rescue truck this week, almost two years after crashing its old one.
The City of Revelstoke announced today that Rescue 7 is scheduled to arrive in town this week and will be publicly unveiled at the fire hall on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m.
"Revelstoke Fire Rescue Society has worked hard to obtain grants and funding to purchase the new rescue truck so that they can provide highway rescue services to those in need on our surroundings highways," said Mayor Mark McKee.
He credited former mayor David Raven with helping secure grant funding for the truck.
Rescue 7 was built by Hub Fire Trucks, with special modifications made to handle Revelstoke highway rescue needs.
It has a compressed air foam fire pump to put out vehicle fires, safety systems designed to protect firefighters, and a 450 horsepower Cummins diesel engine.
The truck will replace Rescue 1, which was damaged in a crash on the Trans-Canada Highway in December 2013. The Revelstoke Fire Rescue Society leased a vehicle in the meantime, with the costs covered by Emergency Management BC.
The $566,000 truck is being paid for with grant money from the provincial government and BC Hydro, as well as funding from the Hospital Auxiliary, Revelstoke Credit Union and Columbia Basin Trust.
"I know the firefighters are very thankful for the generous grants and funding that made this happen," said Randy Driediger, the president of the Revelstoke Fire Rescue Society. "The new Rescue 7 allows our members to respond to highway rescue calls in a safe and well-equipped highway rescue truck."