Eddy County (NM) Fire and Rescue isn’t letting a shortage of truck chassis slow its efforts to replace a fleet of tankers, according to a report published by Carlsbad Current Argus.
According to the report, the department’s deputy chief located three Freightliner trucks to replace 20-year-old tankers that have fallen into disrepair. The order allows the department to replace the units quicker than the four years that had been anticipated given the shortage and anticipated build times, according to the report.
Eddy County Commissioners agreed to use nearly $2 million in Fire Excise Tax funds for the replacements for use in southern Eddy County. Additional new chassis were ordered and the department could have them in early 2023, the report says.
The county needs about four tankers for each engine it has in service because of the lack of hydrants in the area, according to the report, which added that the department tries not to pull too many old tankers out of service before having units to replace them.
