Last year Knoxville Fire and Rescue was given a budget of $490,000 for the purchase of a new truck for the department as the current department trucks are between 28 to 30 years old. On Thursday the new truck arrived at the department. Chief Cal Wyman tells KNIA/KRLS News the truck is a Pumper Tanker with a 1,500 gallon per minute pump and a 1,500 gallon tank. He says it also comes with a 10 inch quick dump in the back of the truck that can be utilized for helping fill other portable tanks from other departments. 

According to Wyman the truck comes with a new style cab to enhance the safety of the crew operating it. The new cab is called an Advanced Protection Cab that comes with airbags and extra safety measures. He says when it came to ordering the truck, one of the top priorities was crew safety as well as having a truck with all the capabilities needed to respond to calls in Knoxville. 

Wyman says in total the truck cost roughly $468,000 after all the extra enhancements the department had added to the truck which still came in under budget. According to Chief Wyman his crews have already begun training on the new truck and he says residents should see the truck responding to calls very soon.