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| Firefighters from Sandy Lake First Nation with their new Pierce pumper that will travel to their community on ice roads over various lakes in February. |
Pierce Manufacturing Inc. is supplying 15 Pierce commercial pumper vehicles to Ontario First Nations communities throughout the province of Ontario.
The vehicles were purchased by the Ontario First Nations’ Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC), which provides technical advisory services for all 134 of the Ontario First Nations. Eleven have been placed into service, and the remaining four will travel to more isolated communities this winter after ice roads are opened.
“These are remote and, in some cases, extremely isolated communities,” said Eugene McPherson, Fire Prevention Officer and President of the Ontario Native Fire Fighters Society. “Many of our First Nations communities have never had a new fire truck, and, quite frankly, these vehicles can mean the difference between life and death.”
The local Pierce dealer, Darch Fire of Ayr, Ontario, provides sales, local service and support.
“Pierce’s extensive stock vehicles program, along with our dealer’s expertise, helped us meet the needs of the OFNTSC and the individual departments,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president of the company’s Fire & Emergency group, which includes Pierce.
OFNTSC Executive Director Bob Howsam said Pierce and Darch allowed for some equipment and configuration customization by each First Nation department.
The Pierce pumpers are built on a variety of commercial chassis, with a mix of top-mount and side-control pump panel configurations. Each vehicle features seating for at least two firefighters, 1,000-gallon water tanks, 1,250-gpm pumps, winter package pump compartments, hard suction hose, and a complement of ground ladders.
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