Starkville Fire Department formally dedicated two new fire trucks to its fleet Tuesday, and Chief Charles Yarbrough said they will be ready for service in the coming weeks once firefighters complete vehicular training.
The two E-One fire trucks will replace engines 3 and 5, which are 20- and 22-years-old, respectively, Yarbrough said. The vehicles, which cost a combined $1.15 million, will be paid for with annual fire rebate funds through the Mississippi Insurance Department.
“I want to thank our mayor, board of aldermen, the truck committee and the public for all of their work and support on this project. Everyone recognized how important these fire trucks would be for Starkville,” Yarbrough said at the dedication.
Mayor Parker Wiseman said the new fire trucks will serve as a symbol of civic pride for residents.
“Fire trucks are a symbol of prosperity of a growing and thriving community,” he said. “It is the fire service that allows us to grow and prosper, as businesses and residents alike feel this is a safe place to build and they will have their structures protected.”
Yarbrough made advancing Starkville’s Class 4 fire rating to a Class 3 a primary goal when he was promoted to fire chief in 2015. A ratings improvement will curb insurance rates for home and business owners, and replacing aging equipment is a crucial step toward the new designation, he said.
Once Garrard Road’s Fire Station No. 5 is fully manned and operational, Yarbrough said the city can begin an earnest attempt at improving its fire rating. SFD needs about eight firefighters to fully staff the facility, which opened in 2011. Currently, Yarbrough said, Fire Station No. 5 is operational once every three days.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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