A new 78-foot ladder will be able to reach up to the high island hotel rooms
MACKINAC ISLAND, MI -- Tuesday, Mackinac Island got a piece of equipment the island fire department says they've needed for a very long time.
A fire truck loaded on a ferry, with the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge in the background, and then driving through Mackinac Island streets are all things that are alien to the eyes. But the large ladder on top could make a huge difference to potential island emergencies.
"You have to be able to save lives, that's the main concern, saving lives," said Mackinac Island firefighters Armand Horn.
The shiny, brand new, 100 percent Michigan-made fire truck was transported by the Arnold Line Ferry from the mainland to the island. Up until today, the island fire department was missing this key piece of equipment -- a long enough ladder truck that could reach people up high in a burning hotel.
“Everyone leaves and goes home safely, and this is going to keep heart to that," said Mackinac Island Assistant Fire Chief Sam Barnwell.
"With all of the hotels, people, and employees on Mackinac Island, it's a huge exposure, so they need the equipment to protect these people," said Joe Merrill of HME Incorporated, the manufacturer of the new truck.
A 78-foot ladder on the new $500,000 truck will add to the firefighting arsenal.
“We have a mil we use for fire protection, so it just fit in when we saw this demo, we could get the price we could on it, the pieces just all fell into place, and it was time to do it," said Mackinac Island Mayor Margaret Doud.
And the hope is to make this one last 40 years like the age of the old truck it's replacing.
The fire department says because of the age of the buildings and hotels on the island, some date back to the 1800's, it's better to have the truck than need it.
