Spring is a time for change and growth and both are occurring at the Livingston Fire Department. Construction began earlier in the month on new buildings at the department to house a new addition that will increase the department’s capabilities tremendously.

Livingston Fire Chief Terry Peeler said a new truck is on its way by way of a healthy grant.

“We are building a new addition to the station to house our new ladder truck,” Peeler said. “We recently received funding from FEMA for $445,000 which allowed us to purchase a 75 foot quint. The construction is to give us a place to store it.”

Peeler said there would also be an area added on to wash and maintain the new truck.

“We are also building a wash pad,” Peeler said. “That will give us a good place to wash the trucks.”

Peeler said upon hearing they had received the grant they began plans to purchase the truck and construct a place to house it.

“The grant was what really got the ball rolling on the construction,” Peeler said. “We received the grant and were told we would probably have the truck delivered by May so we had to have somewhere to put it.”

Warkentin Construction has been working for most of April to get the building ready. Peeler said once the concrete was in place things started to come together quickly.

“They did the concrete a couple of weeks ago and things have been happening fast,” Peeler said. “Right now they are doing the framework and they should have it ready for the most part next week.”

The Quint Truck is both a Pumper Truck and a Ladder Truck making it a valuable asset to the department. The word “quint” refers to the five functions of the truck. The truck will function as a pumper, ladder truck, rescue truck, aerial truck and a personnel carrier.