A new pumper truck has started service in Lloydminster. It provides significant upgrades in safety and efficiency.
The Lloydminster Fire Department's new pumper 21 replaces pumper 15, which served the community for 22 years. Built in Canada, the 2024 Pierce Maxi Saber Pumper Fire Truck cost Lloydminster taxpayers $1.155 million. Front-line response vehicles must be replaced after 20 years of service. The city chose Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Advantages to help secure the rig this past January.
Acting Fire Chief Bill Heesing highlighted some of the truck’s innovations. One of the key upgrades is the remote-controlled deck gun, which allows firefighters to operate it safely from the ground.
"Safety for the firefighters is paramount,” Heesing stated. “We’re not climbing up to get on top of the truck to set up the deck gun—we can do that from the ground."
The truck also features integrated headsets for all crew members inside the vehicle.
“Communication is key,” Heesing explained. “Both the driver and officer in the front can have clear communication, and the captain can give directions to the guys in the back about what orders will be when they arrive on scene."
In addition to fire response, the truck is equipped for vehicle extrication and initial ice and water rescues.
Lloydminster's fire department handles all types of emergency calls in the city. He highlighted the truck’s battery-operated tools, like the combi-tool that both cuts and spreads, an asset in time-sensitive situations.
“This truck responds to all of our alarm calls, first response calls, and vehicle extrications,” Heesing shared. “It’s a quick extrication tool that allows us to do a fast relief cut on doors,” he explained.
The truck’s water capacity, 1,000 gallons, allows firefighters to address smaller fires or begin initial operations without immediate access to a hydrant. For example, they can quickly knock down a room or car fire without needing extra water.
For larger operations, the truck also features a “mercury monitor” that can deliver 500 gallons per minute on the ground, enabling rapid response in various scenarios.
For firefighter comfort and efficiency, the truck’s interior has ample storage space for essential equipment and safety gear, which the crew can access quickly on-site.
“Our members are in this truck for 24 hours a day on shifts,” Heesing noted. “So having everything they need within reach, organized, and secured is a big improvement.”
Additionally, the truck includes Waze integration. When activated, it will alert nearby drivers of the fire truck’s approach to help clear the way. The hope is that this will improve response times and reduce the chances of a collision.
“If we’re behind a car and they have the app, it will tell them there’s a fire truck coming and to pull to the right,” Heesing said.
Valued at around $1.1 million, the new truck is a comprehensive asset and included much of the equipment on board.
“Every truck we have in our fleet is operationally ready to go,” Heesing emphasized, adding that this investment allows the department to maintain readiness with the best equipment available.
The new pumper truck marks the last truck needing replacement until approximately 2030.
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