News Search

Engine 8 reports for duty

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Jami Lancette
  • 434th ARW

Out with the old and in with the new: Grissom’s Fire Department advances its capabilities with a new fire truck.

Grissom recently received a new fire truck that will enhance its capabilities to act at a moment’s notice not only for Grissom but for the local community.

The truck, a new P-22 model, brings improvements to both storage capacity and engine technology.

“The biggest thing is compartment space; we can get so much more equipment in it which makes us even more valuable when we show up to an emergency,” said Jason Cahill, Grissom Fire Department firefighter. “A lot of times if you show up to an emergency there is more than just one thing going on, so this truck can handle anything and everything that you could throw at it.

“The increased space on this truck allows us to get more equipment out to emergencies faster compared to what we had with the old engine,” Cahill added.

In addition to space, another vital aspect of the new truck is its ability to handle different types of fires.

“This truck has a different foam system than the old truck. It is equipped with two different types of foams which extinguish structural fires and aircraft fires making it more efficient,” said Cahill.

In addition to additional storage, the new model is also environmentally friendly.

“Engine 8 is equipped with an IRT (idle reduction technology) system. It’s very eco-friendly,” said Cahill. “If the truck sits in idle for two minutes it will automatically shut off and a generator will kick on to reduce idle hours on the engine which is a big push from an eco-friendly standpoint."

“It also extends the life of the engine,” Cahill added.

While the primary mission of the Grissom Fire Department is to provide protection and coverage for base personnel and resources, the firemen and first responders are able to provide additional support to the local community through mutual aid agreements.

The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. The Citizen Airmen from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.

Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.

Public Affairs Staff

Material contained on the Official Grissom Air Reserve Base Internet Web Site is written and produced by members of the 434th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office. The award-winning staff includes:

Douglas Hays
Chief, public affairs

Maj. Elias Zani
Public affairs officer

Josh Weaver
Public affairs operations chief

Master Sgt. Josh Weaver
NCOIC of public affairs

Master Sgt. Rachel Barton
Staff writer

Tech. Sgt. Alexa Culbert
Staff writer

Senior Airman Alexis Morris
Staff writer

Airman 1st Class Elise Faurote
Staff writer