It was a bright sunny day in Braxton County Friday, June 28. Not only was the weather beautiful but the sun was also shining on local emergency services due to the long-awaited arrival of the county’s new aerial apparatus.
Representatives of Sutphen Corporation of Amlin, Ohio delivered the new, custom built, 75-foot ladder truck to the Sutton Volunteer Fire Department early Friday morning which marks the end of a more than 18-month construction period.
Funding for the new apparatus, which will benefit all the fire departments in the county, was made possible through a FEMA Firefighter’s Grant of $ 1,000,000.00 plus a $50,000 match from the county. The grant was prepared and processed by Matt Ward and his company Strategic Strategies of Washington, DC. Ward who is employed by the Braxton County Development Authority and the Braxton County Commission as a grant writer was assisted in the involved process by OES/9-1-1 Director, John Hoffman and officers of the Sutton Fire Department whose name the grant was in.
Training for the new apparatus was held on Saturday and Sunday at the 9-1-1 Center. Additional training is scheduled for July. Members of all seven county fire departments have been invited to participate in the instruction to become Ladder Brigade members.
In addition to the cost of the vehicle, more than $ 45,000.00 in new equipment has been added and more will be arriving to make the truck compliant. Some parts from the old county ladder truck, which was decommissioned over two years ago, will also be moved to the new apparatus. That process is ongoing with the truck expected to be in full operation by mid-July.
“The new aerial apparatus is much safer and more efficient than the previous ones which has been used in the county, It truly will be a game changer for the county’s fire servce,” said Hoffman. “The new truck will be utilized by all the departments in the county and serve as a vital contributor to keeping all the Departments’ ISO Ratings down, which translates into lower insurance costs for residents and businesses.”