WALKER, Mich. — After a three-year wait, the Plainfield Fire Department has finally taken delivery of its new Engine 3 – a $868,383 custom-built fire truck that represents the latest in firefighting technology and safety features.
The lengthy wait time reflects the complex nature of modern fire apparatus construction, according to Fire Chief Kyle Svoboda.
"The reason fire trucks takes three years is because they're built literally from scratch, all the way up into every little, tiny bolt," Svoboda explained during a tour of the new Rosenbauer-built engine. "Everything is custom on a fire truck for most part, and then the demand for fire trucks have gone up in just the past recent years."
State Inspection Required
Despite arriving at the station, Engine 3 isn't quite ready for emergency calls yet. The truck awaits final state inspection scheduled for Monday, February 16th.
"It's not in service yet, because we are currently mounting the equipments and tools. We're waiting for a state inspection for our EMS equipment," Svoboda said. Every fire truck licensed by the state must pass inspection to verify it carries all required equipment for emergency response.
Svoboda projects the truck will respond to 400-500 calls in its first year, replacing an aging engine that answered 468 calls last year.
"We anticipate this truck to run about 400 to 500 calls coming into this year, replacing our old engine," he noted, explaining the department tracks detailed analytics on all vehicle usage to inform replacement decisions.
The new Engine 3 serves as what Svoboda calls a "multi-purpose tool," equipped to handle structure fires, vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, and hazardous material incidents. The truck carries 500 gallons of water and features battery-powered equipment throughout.
The department is mounting equipment in-house rather than paying contractors.
"We could spend upwards of 50 to $100,000 to have somebody else mount all of our equipment in this truck. We've taken on the mindset... it's cheaper to have them do it," Svoboda explained.
The department is also preparing to replace its 32-year-old ladder truck, with delivery expected within nine months to a year. That replacement will cost approximately $1.5 million for the vehicle plus $200,000 in additional equipment.
Svoboda emphasized the department's data-driven approach to fleet management: "We have a pretty good plan to stay ahead of the curve, so to speak, especially we know we have build out times of a year to three years on trucks."
The new Engine 3 represents a significant investment in public safety for Plainfield Township, bringing modern safety features, improved ergonomics for firefighters, and advanced technology to better serve the community's emergency response needs.
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