Colfax Fire gains ladder truck

Ladder 3 was placed into service June 2 after the firefighters "pushed" the truck into its new home at the Colfax station.

The Colfax Fire Department took delivery of the "new" ladder truck to replace its 1979 model which was needing repair and becoming less safe with each passing year. The city council approved the purchase last month after approximately one and a half years of searching, studying and at times patiently waiting for the right one to come along.

"This is a huge step forward for the Colfax Fire Department and something the whole city can be proud of," said Fire Chief Craig Corbeill. "Our tool box just got a little bit bigger and a lot more organized."

The 2003 Pierce ladder truck was first purchased by the Lake Worth, Texas, fire department and saw duty there before joining the fleet in Colfax. Firefighter Tim Tingley with the Colfax Fire Department flew to Dallas, Texas, May 22nd with his wife Gina and drove the truck to Colfax.

All three trucks in the city fleet are now Pierce models and operate similarly making operating and training a smoother transition. The truck was purchased for $210,000 and has 36,000 miles on it. The 75' ladder is pre-plumbed with a large bore nozzle at the tip and can flow water quickly with its 2,000 gallon per minute pump.

The truck has been seen all over town this past week as crew members train on its operations. Most recently, the ladder was raised over main street as the graduating class of 2020 drove underneath with the American flag and Colfax Bulldog flag waving from its rungs.