Aerial Firetruck Arrives in Lyndonville

Lyndonville Fire Department's new half a million dollar purchase has finally arrived, and it's expected to save the lives of many.

Thanks to a $475 hundred thousand grant, the cost to the town for this truck will only be $25 thousand. It will replace a much older truck that was sometimes harder to use.

Lyndonville Fire Chief Greg Hopkins says "the main difference between this one and the old one we used to have... is that the old one had a bucket where firefighters could actually stand on it. This one just has a straight ladder where we have to climb and we to stand on the end of the ladder. There are pros and cons to that. We found that the bucket could hinder us a lot more than help us".

The new truck will allow firefighters to attack any fire from above. The ladder extends to 75 feet high and can rotate a full 360 degrees.

Hopkins explains that it has some new safety features as well. "This one will carry more people. It's safer; it has an enclosed cab whereas the other one had an open cab on the back. It has the new seat belt rules and laws that are effective."

He also believes that this new truck is so versatile that it will be able to assist other fire departments in the area. "St. Johnsbury has a bucket just like ours so we figured by getting a straight stick that would help offset each other. This one might get places theirs can't... we'll assist each other."