LITTLE ENGINE THAT CAN: HFD brings new fire engine into the company

A long-awaited fire engine has arrived in Hulbert to help keep the community safe in times of crisis.

Hulbert Fire Department Capt. Colton Coble said the 2024 Kenworth is the department’s ninth apparatus, which is critical because the other is outdated. Assistant Fire Chief Josh Littledave said HFD members are excited to have the fire engine, which will be replacing a 1989 standard that held 750 gallons of water.

“Our main tanker is also a standard, so we run into the issue where not a lot of people can drive it. It lets us leave the station with that new engine and the other engine, we can roll out of here with 4,000 gallons of water at one time in case nobody can drive the other tanker,” said Coble.

The vehicle has a Kenworth Chassis with 450 horsepower and a 1,500-gallon water tank and a 30-gallon foam tank, and was custom-built to the needs of HFD. Coble said it is about 10 feet shorter than the other tanker, which makes it more maneuverable through tight places and allows it to be a backup rescue vehicle.

“In a rural setting such as ours, where most of our territories have hydrants that are few and far between, the more water you can carry with you to get started, [the more of a] game changer on getting quick knockdowns. It buys you that precious time until your mutual aid departments can get there and assist or until you can get more water on scene,” said Littledave.

Coble said having the new fire engine will lower the fire insurance on homes in the area, since the ISO rating will be renewed soon.

Other than providing a constant flow of water, Jenkins said the truck will provide anything they need, such as for a rescue for a car crash or jaws of life. Since HFD is a volunteer agency, Jenkins said the vehicles are not used to the same degree as in Tulsa or Tahlequah, which means the engine will last significantly longer.

“It’ll give us more trucks in the street. It give us more water [to use for each fire],” said Lt. Kacee Jenkins. “It gives us a whole other truck to fight fires with, and it allows for more firefighters to be fully prepared.”

Jenkins said the new truck has been two years in the making and is a blessing to the department and community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many plants and manufacturers shut down, causing them to eventually cancel their originally order. The final order was made earlier this year with Platinum Apparatus.

Jenkins said since the new engine has a backflow, the truck will be able to fill up at a creek, pond, or hydrant, while the other is working on the fire. The trucks will be able to constantly switch and provide continuous water to the blaze.

“We will have a constant flow. Say we get somewhere, and typically we would be like, ‘Hey, we need mutual aid because we don’t have enough manpower or water.’ Now if we can’t get the mutual aid because they’re already on a call somewhere, we’re in a much better situation,” said Jenkins.

Amanda Blackman, HFD medic captain, said the new truck will allow for more exterior attacks to a fire, meaning the fire engines can position themselves around the building instead of on one side. Blackman said it will also make the scenes safer for firefighters, because drivers will be more apt to see the truck than a person walking alongside a car wreck.

A new suburban was also donated by the Hulbert Police Department, which will serve as a vehicle for medical calls and educational goals.

“We’re super excited about it. We’re pretty fortunate to have our city council back us up, and we’re fortunate to have another vehicle donated to us because it allowed us to add a useful vehicle without having to spend extra money,” said Littledave. “It’s important to us to have good equipment like that, something we can be proud of, something the town can be proud of. It’s something that’s going to increase our usefulness, as far as our other mutual aid departments.”

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