New fire truck arrival sparks interest in Clinton Township

Arriving at the Clinton Township Fire Station Thursday evening, a 2013 Pierce pumper is welcome sight to fire department volunteers and members of the Walnut Creek Fire District Board.

VAN BIBBER LAKE -- Virtually nothing attracts attention like a big, new, shiny red fire engine.

Kids swarm all over them at parades and festivals. Men and boys want to ride in them and sound their sirens. And ambulance-chasing adults are drawn like moths to the flame when that red truck rolls out on a rescue mission.

Thursday night in Clinton Township, the evening sun was bright and warm as it shone down upon the cryptic sign out front of the fire station. "Any day now," it read, not providing any further clue to whether the coming of warm weather or the long-awaited new department pumper was the true subject of such wit and wisdom.

Little more than a stone's throw from Van Bibber and Glenn Flint lakes, youngsters cavorted on the lawn of a mobile home along the north side of County Road 450 North, immersed in the age-old game of Red Rover on the nicest day spring has had to offer.

But they literally stopped in their tracks as the new 2013 Pierce commercial pumper rolled down CR 450 North, rumbling toward the gravel entry to the firehouse property.

After all, there's little that says rural America like a fire truck rolling through the countryside.

The arrival of that $244,000 truck -- completing its long journey after leaving Bradenton, Fla., over Easter weekend -- marked the completion of an 18-month effort from grant application to bidding process to the actual building of the pumper for the Walnut Creek Fire Protection District.

"This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of good people," Fire District Board President Jim Hilburn said as Clinton Township Fire Chief Aaron Littrell walked around the engine, beaming like a new father minus congratulatory cigars.

Hilburn and fellow fire district board members Dave Parent and Travis Lambermont -- all on hand for the truck's arrival -- noted the key involvement of former board member Robert Hensley, along with corporation secretary-treasurer Kathy Deer, and above all, West Central Indiana grant administrator Kristy Jerrell.

Clinton Township Fire Chief Aaron Littrell (third from right) hands over a check representing the final local match portion of the new $244,000 fire truck to Garry Davis, Global Emergency Products regional sales manager for Indiana. Fire district board members (from right) Dave Parent and Jim Hilburn join (from left) corporation secretary-treasurer Kathy Deer and board member Travis Lambermont in enjoying the moment.

"We started the process 18 months ago with a grant application," Hilburn said. "I can't say enough about the cooperation of the district and the two departments (Clinton Township and Bainbridge/Monroe Township), West Central and the Putnam County Community Foundation."

The new engine, which includes a 1,250-gallon-per-minute pump, 1,000-gallon booster water tank, five-person cab and seven full-height storage compartments, will be put in service on station at the Clinton Township Fire Department. It replaces a 1980s-era Mack.

It is only the second new engine the fire district has purchased, Hilburn said, since its inception in 1998. The first was a 2001 truck that is on station at Bainbridge.

The new truck is described as a pumper with added rescue capabilities. Grant administrator Jerrell has noted the close proximity of homes at Van Bibber Lake Estates makes the pumping ability of the new apparatus a big upgrade.

"It's so essential, especially for Clinton Township, because they have Van Bibber Lake Estates," Jerrell said. "The houses are so close together and this truck will allow them to pump a lot more water into a fire."

Rescue capabilities mean the new truck can carry nearly any equipment necessary so Clinton Township won't have to rely on other departments as much as in the past.

Walnut Creek Fire District owns the truck, which was purchased through a $150,000 Community Focus Fund (CFF) grant and cooperative local financing with nearly $6,000 given by the Foundation and $83,000 coming from the Walnut Creek equipment depreciation fund.

CFF grants, which are administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affair, are awarded annually through a competitive application process.

The Putnam County Commissioners served as the sponsor agency for the grant, but the money went to the Walnut Creek, which oversees the Clinton Township and Bainbridge fire departments.

Meanwhile, the fire district is in the processing of purchasing an almost identical vehicle to be placed on station at Monroe Township. That truck is still six months out on its build date, Hilburn said.

Clinton Township officially received a much needed fire truck on Thursday evening. The truck was purchased with the help of a grant.

"Because of this grant," Hilburn pointed out, "in 12 months we will be able to put two new pumpers in our district for the price of one. I don't know how you can spend taxpayer dollars any better than that."