Oakboro Fire Department has open house, shows public new fire truck

Published 7:01 pm Sunday, April 7, 2019

Residents of Oakboro and other areas in Stanly gathered at the Oakboro Fire Department Sunday afternoon for the department’s open house.

One of the highlights of the event was the new fire truck the department recently purchased.

Oakboro Fire Department, which is celebrating 80 years of existence, purchased the 2018 Rosenbauer fire truck for $520,000, said Oakboro Fire Chief Rodney Eury.

The new fire truck was bought in October, after the fire department sold one of its trucks in June.

The new truck is clearly an upgrade: The old truck had a 1,500 gallon-per-minute pump and was equipped with a 500-gallon water tank while the new truck has a 2,000 gallon-per-minute pump and is equipped with a 750-gallon water tank.

The Oakboro fire department is composed of 31 firefighters and has three fire engines and a fire tanker, Eury said.

The department purchased the new truck outright. Eury stressed to the crowd that the department is debt free. Much of the proceeds from Oakboro’s annual Fourth of July celebration helped pay for the truck.

Many people spoke about the importance of the fire department.

“We thank you for your service to the citizens,” said Oakboro Mayor Joyce Little to the fire department. “I want to thank you for answering that call that goes out on the coldest night when you get out and come to our aid. And I also want to thank you for that hottest summer that you respond to that call.”

“I like to call Oakboro home because I know we are protected,” said Stanly County Sheriff Jeff Crisco. “I know we can call you all in a minute and you all will be there…I cannot be more proud of the Oakboro Fire Department.”

After the speeches, children gathered as a firefighter taught about fire safety and how to properly put on firefighter gear and equipment. Light refreshments and snacks were also served.

People watched as Oakboro firefighters perform two mock vehicle extrications, while children enjoyed climbing in and inspecting the new fire truck.

Near the end of the event, people watched as an Atrium Health MedCenter Air helicopter flew around and landed in a grassy area beside the fire department.

About Chris Miller

Chris Miller has been with the SNAP since January 2019. He is a graduate of NC State and received his Master's in Journalism from the University of Maryland. He previously wrote for the Capital News Service in Annapolis, where many of his stories on immigration and culture were published in national papers via the AP wire.

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