Downieville Fire Department volunteers and EMS staff in front of the newly delivered fire engine

DOWNIEVILLE — On Tuesday, the Downieville Volunteer Fire Department (DVFD) received a Ford E-One Mini Pumper fire engine. The lightly used vehicle, delivered to Downieville from Union Grove, Alabama, will provide DVFD with a more maneuverable 4-wheel-drive option that can be operated in any weather condition. The engine is 26’ 2” long and 8’ 2” tall and has the chassis of a Ford F-550 E-One, a 6.7L diesel engine, 37,000 miles, and just over 1,000 engine idle hours.

Side view of the new engine

Despite its relatively small size, the new truck is a versatile powerhouse, able to pump 1,250 gallons per minute and carry up to 300 gallons of water (though usually used in cooperation with a 3,000-gallon water tender). It will operate primarily as a backup, replacing an engine currently in the Pearl Street firehouse, which may be donated to another Sierra County fire department. According to the DVFD, “The new engine will be an all-hazard apparatus that can respond to structure fires, wildland fires, EMS calls or any emergency where quick, efficient response is necessary when every second counts.” Until now, DVFD has not had a fully 4-wheel-drive fire engine option available.

Funding for the engine comes thanks to a generous private donation in combination with funds earned by DVFD volunteers, allowing the purchase not to use the fire district’s tax-based funding. DVFD hopes to fill the empty engine with “as much new equipment as possible” since many of the department’s current hoses and tools are outdated hand-me-downs with the potential to fail. In pursuit of new equipment, the department “would be greatly appreciative of any donation that would help add the equipment necessary to make this truck a shining example of community pride.”