by David Flint
Berliners christened their new emergency services equipment on Saturday, November 6, at an Open House ceremony at the Fire House. Trucks from five fire departments – Center Brunswick, Raymertown, Poestenkill and Stephentown as well as Berlin – participated in the Wet Down, surrounding the shiny new ambulance and fire truck parked in the center of the Berlin Fire House parking lot. At a signal, all five opened up with their hoses and for about five minutes gave the new equipment a thorough baptizing.
The fire truck is a Toyne pumper on a 2009 International cabin chassis with a 330 hp engine. The body is stainless steel. It has a 1,250 gallon tank, supplemented with a compressed air foam system and is capable of pumping 1,250 gallons a minute. It has a telescoping lighting system and, carrying two air packs and a 5,000 watt generator, it can respond to some incidents without the rescue truck having to roll. According to Fire Chief Billy Osterhout, the truck replaces two older trucks that used water only. Now both of Berlin’s initial attack fire trucks have the class-A foam capability which makes for much more efficient fire fighting. The cost, approved by voters in July, was $200,000 to be bonded over ten years.
The ambulance is a 2010 Braun on a Ford chassis. It replaces an aging 1998 model. Some of its features, according to Berlin Fire Company President Bruce Hake, Sr., include a motorized hydraulic base stretcher that can be operated by one person, a rear view backup camera that will make it much easier to back into hospital loading docks and a sliding door on the passenger side providing a big advantage when operating in narrow spaces. The cost of the ambulance was about $120,000 to be bonded over eight years.
The Berlin Fire Department, Rescue Squad and Auxiliary held an Open House most of the day at the Fire House. There were displays and information on fire prevention and a free blood pressure clinic. People could also get 911 House Numbers and WHALE (We Have A Little Emergency) stickers for their cars. Stewart’s provided refreshments. And the winning posters of Berlin Elementary School’s fire safety poster contest were on display.
Winning Posters
