Vernon Fire Department awaits new brush truck

Vernon-Fire Rescue is still without a brush truck nearly a year after the City placed an order for the much-needed vehicle. Council members say the delay is believed to be due to pandemic-related supply chain issues, a common issue recently faced by local governments.

Vernon Fire Chief Shaquille Green states Ebro Volunteer Fire Department donated a brush truck to the agency last year; however, it wasn’t long before that truck went out of service due to mechanical issues, leaving Vernon once again without a brush truck.

Green says the smaller brush trucks can fight fires in places where larger firetrucks cannot go – a common need in rural areas, especially when responding to small grass fires.

“When we are called out to brush fires, it can be very difficult to get in to where we need to,” said Green. “Our larger engines and tankers cannot fit in places where we can usually get the brush truck in. The need for the smaller brush truck is vital to our department.”

Green says once the new truck comes in, all the Vernon Fire vehicles will be in service and “ready to go.” “Once our brush truck gets here, we will be ready to rock and roll,” he said. “All our equipment is good to go, including five new sets of bunker gear we recently got.”

Even without a serviceable brush truck, Green says Vernon’s fire department hasn’t missed a beat. “We are still running calls as they come in,” he said. “The lack of a brush truck has not slowed us down a bit.”

There is still no estimated date of delivery for the new brush truck.