Aerial Tower 740 Placed In Service
On November 4, 2017 at 1137 hours, the officers of the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department dedicated and then placed our new Aerial Tower 740 in service! We would like to thank everyone who came to the ceremony, including Montgomery County Executive Isiah Legget, Montgomery County Council Member and Public Safety Committee Chair Marc Elrich, Senator Craig Zucker, District 19 Representative Marice Morales , Sheriff Darren Popkin, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services Fire Chief Scott Goldstein, members of surrounding departments, and our community.
A special thank you to Allied Party Rentals for donating the stage and chairs, and Mission BBQ of Rockville for taking care of lunch for the Station 40 crew who had a busy day preparing for the dedication!
The History of Aerial Tower 740
In 2013, the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department (SSVFD) Apparatus Committee was tasked with researching a replacement for the aging 1995 Truck 740 (formerly known as Quint 40). After compiling some initial research, the committee met bi-weekly starting in August 2014 until a specification for a new tower was completed and approved. Once the winning bid was selected and sent to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service for review, a contract was signed on January 29, 2016. The contract was awarded to Pierce Fire Apparatus of Appleton, Wisconsin, for $1,120,000, to construct the Aerial Tower being dedicated today.
Members of the SSVFD Apparatus Committee traveled to Pierce in August 2016 for the preconstruction conference after which construction began. The Committee again traveled to Pierce in late April 2017 for a final inspection. After Aerial Tower 740 arrived at the local dealer, routine service was completed and it went on display for the 1st time in mid-June at the Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention in Ocean City, Maryland. SSVFD took delivery later that week. Once it arrived and equipment was installed, extensive training began to prepare the Tower for emergency service.
To accommodate the new tower, the apparatus bay doors at Station 40 were raised. The final cost for Aerial Tower 740, including equipment, is just under $1.3 million. Purchasing AT740 would not have been possible without the help from our Community, our County, and our State.
From all of the Members of the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department, we thank you for your continued support!
Photos courtesy of George Smith
