Vicksburg is getting two new fire trucks following action by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Friday.

The board approved the purchase of two pumpers totaling $1.07 million through state purchasing from Sunbelt Fire Apparatus of Fairhope, Ala. The trucks are being paid for through a lease purchasing agreement with Sunbelt and will be the third and fourth new trucks added to the fire department’s fleet in four years.

Ladder 3 was received in 2017 and is stationed at the Berryman Road station.  Ladder 15 was received in March 2020 and is stationed at Fire Station No. 5.

Vicksburg Fire Chief Craig Danczyk said the pumpers will take about 10 to 12 months to build and should be delivered in March 2022. One new truck will be stationed at Station No. 7 and the other will be at Station No. 8.

The new trucks will replace two pumpers, one purchased in 1993 and the other in 2000, Danczyk said. The 1993 truck, which was damaged during the ice storm, will be retired. The 2000 truck will be used as a reserve truck.

He said both new trucks come fully equipped and carry more water than their predecessors.

“These new trucks will each carry 1,000 gallons of water,” he said. “The trucks they’re replacing had 750 gallons; that’s 33 percent more water and that can be important when fighting a fire.”

He said the addition of the new equipment will make a difference for every homeowner within the city.

 “The expected useful life of these pumpers is 20 to 25 years and this will help the Vicksburg Fire Department to potentially lower our fire rating in years to come,” Danczyk said. “With the 592 waterline project complete and current discussion of other water plant improvements, I feel confident we can lower our fire rating to a Class 3 in the next three years.

“I want to thank the current board for helping the Vicksburg Fire Department reach a milestone in October 2018 when we lowered the fire rating to a Class 4.”