Fire crews in Roanoke will have a new engine that will meet the needs of the growing community, according to city documents.

The details

Roanoke City Council approved the purchase of a new fire engine for the Roanoke Fire Department with a price not to exceed $1.4 million at the Sept. 26 meeting. The payment will not be required until after the delivery of the vehicle, which is estimated to be at least 600 days, according to a council agenda memo. A price increase is expected Oct. 1, and “in an effort to avoid the higher cost, it is being requested that authorization be granted” and the issuance of a purchase order be given prior to Oct. 1, the memo states.

The engine will be purchased from Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists Inc. as part of the HGAC Cooperative purchasing agreement, said Diane Rice, communications and public engagement officer for the city of Roanoke.

“The determination of funding specifics has not yet been made as the payment is not due for 600 days,” Rice said in an email. “We will make decisions on funding closer to the delivery date of the truck.”



What they’re saying

“This engine is a replacement for one of our engines which is reaching the end of its frontline and reserve life,” Roanoke Fire Chief Chris Addington said in an email. “The new engine is part of a replacement schedule for the fire department. This new engine will bring a reconfigured seating arrangement, enabling crews to all face forward and provide increased compartment space for equipment.”

Zooming in

The council agenda memo gave specifications for the new engine, which will be custom built. Among them:

  • Structural warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles
  • Occupant protection, including microprocessor-controlled sensing device that utilizes vehicle-specific calibrations to detect and prevent rollovers
  • Capacity to carry 2,500 feet of various hose sizes
  • 750-gallon water tank
  • 30-gallon foam tank
  • Cummins L9 turbocharged engine with a five-year or 100,000-mile warranty
  • Allison EVS 3000 automatic transmission with a five-year warranty
  • 50-year or 250,000-mile frame assembly structural warranty
  • Electric rearview mirrors with heat
  • Intercom system for all seat positions with radio interface for the officer and driver