St. John Fire Services has just added a new pumper truck to its fleet of emergency vehicles.
Deputy Chief Brian Chapman said the 1,800-gallon pumper, which arrived on island Wednesday, is equipped with four-wheel drive, which will allow his firefighters to respond to emergencies along the island's often-steep dirt roads and narrow streets.
Although the new truck gives St. John firefighters a better response capability, Chapman said, Fire Services is still plagued by shortages of supplies such as fire hoses, two-way radios and the suppressing foam that is used for chemical spills. "We're all right, but we don't have enough extras if there's a big fire," he said.
A similar pumper was also scheduled for delivery to Fire Services on St. Croix. St. Thomas is supposed to get one, too, eventually, but there have been delays in its delivery. For that reason, Chapman said, he plans to send a tanker truck currently housed at the Cruz Bay station to assist with firefighting on St. Thomas. The tanker does not have four-wheel drive, he noted.
