Pine Haven Fire Department gets new command vehicle

Pine Haven's volunteer fire department has been actively seeking a command vehicle to add to the department's inventory for the last several months and department chief TJ Gideon has finally found and purchased a used vehicle for the perfect fit.

The 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe was retired from a fire department in Oregon at 100,000 miles and Pine Haven was able to purchase the automobile for $7500.

Council liaison and volunteer fireman Don Lancaster said of the Tahoe when it arrived a few days ago, "It's in excellent condition [and] it already has all the working lights, sirens and radios – the whole works...We just need to add a few of the extra supplies that we want and it's ready to roll."

When the vehicle was first purchased, Gideon was concerned about transportation, but after further study, the price of having the rig shipped proved to be an economical and expeditious choice.

"We compared the amounts it would cost us to go get it [or] have it transported," Lancaster explained, "And we got a really good deal on the transport."

A command vehicle is an important part of a fire department's stock, being used for traffic control in the event of accidents as well as being used by the fire chief for judicious supervision of equipment and manpower.

With the 100,000 and change on the Tahoe's odometer, Lancaster expects a further 100,000-150,000 mile life span for this well-maintained vehicle, making this purchase well worth the minimal expense.

The unit is anticipated to be fully activated by the end of the week.