Holly Springs is getting two new additions to the Fire Department family of emergency vehicles to keep the community safe as the town grows and modernizes.
A new engine was put into service this spring with a traditional “Push-In” ceremony, which pays homage to firefighters in the 1800s who used horse-drawn equipment and would have to literally push the equipment backward into the firehouse after returning from a fire. The event has since become a widely practiced tradition for new fire department vehicles.
At the ceremony, we had representatives from the past, present and future,” said Holly Springs Fire Chief LeRoy Smith. “The engine we replaced was over 20 years old. When it went into service, we were a small volunteer fire department. Today we have nearly 60 professional firefighters. For the ceremony, we made sure to have some of those original volunteers on hand, our current staff, and even some kids who might be future firefighters for our town.”
The process for purchasing this new engine began almost 18 months ago as a committee of firefighters began the design process to ensure the new vehicle not only meets the needs of the community now, but continues to do so in the future. In addition to the new engine, a new Tractor-Drawn Aerial ladder truck is in the build process and is expected to debut in Holly Springs in December. Both of these vehicles have advanced features that will take Holly Springs firefighting to the next level. The new engine was designed to enhance the safety of the town’s firefighters. Both trucks will be equipped with collision air bags, anti-rollover systems, cameras that show all sides of the truck, and an intercom system with headsets for each person on the truck to improve communication while responding.
To enhance the department’s ability to extinguish fires more efficiently, the new fire engine is equipped with a class A foam system. This foam system injects the bio-degradable foam into the water coming from the fire hose. When mixed with the water, the class A foam increases the extinguishment capability.
The new ladder truck is packed with even more features that can mean the difference when lives are on the line. After a long evaluation process, the town decided to purchase a Tractor-Drawn Aerial truck that requires two drivers—one in the front and one in the back. It also has a 107-foot aerial ladder on top, which substantially exceeds our current ladder truck’s reach of 90 feet. Also on this new truck will be over 300 feet of portable ladders, with the longest extending to 40 feet.
“The face of our community is evolving.
We have moved from a more rural community to a suburban community,” Smith said. “This change brings additional requests for our services as well as new challenges, including accessibility. The Tractor-Drawn Aerial truck will allow us to maneuver through neighborhoods and residential streets to make sure seconds aren’t lost.”
During the evaluation, Holly Springs firefighters were assisted by the Raleigh and High Point fire departments, which brought in a Tractor-Drawn Aerial truck for a demonstration. “We were astounded at how maneuverable these trucks were,” said Smith. “The firefighters from each city were able to weave in and out of tight spots, without even backing up.”
The upgrade to a new ladder truck, and the new crew that will operate it, are a part of the Town Council’s strategic plan to ensure safety measures keep up with growth. “We operate under a continuous improvement mentality,” said Smith. “We achieved the ISO rating of 1 last year, and as the community’s needs change, we need to adapt to that change so that we retain our high level of service.”
The Town of Holly Springs Fire Department achieved the highest ISO rating possible in 2020. The rating is meant to score a department’s ability to protect the community. The rating places Holly Springs in the top 1% of all fire departments in the nation and one of a select few in North Carolina to have achieved this level of excellence.
