Eastpointe Fire and Rescue has given a recently upgraded 1998 Sutphen Aerial Ladder Truck to Macomb Community College’s Public Service Institute.
Macomb Community College has received a 1998 Sutphen Aerial Ladder Fire Truck from Eastpointe Fire and Rescue that will benefit the college’s fire academy program within its Public Service Institute. The fire truck will give the program the ability to be more self-sufficient and will enhance the quality of training it can provide to its students.
According to an article on Macomb Community College’s website, Brian Marquardt, the Eastpointe Fire Chief, explained that this fire truck is the very same one that helped protect the community. He is quoted as saying, “The fire department was extremely pleased that the Eastpointe City Council approved the measure to be able to donate the ladder truck to Macomb Community College. Over the last 26 years, this apparatus has served the residents of the city by responding to all of the structure fires in Eastpointe, as well as responding to the surrounding communities for Auto-Aid and Mutual-Aid. Eastpointe firefighters current and past, have responded to many fires in this ladder truck and we look forward to knowing that the new firefighters in the Academy will be trained on that same piece of equipment.”
Macomb Community College’s Public Service Institute trains students and those already working in careers in police, fire, health, and other public safety training. Its fire academy offers the training necessary to work toward certification as a firefighter. Up until receiving this donated fire truck, however, the college was unable to provide advanced fire suppression training with its existing equipment.
The ability to donate this fire truck, which was recently upgraded and has passed all necessary inspections, came about because Eastpointe Fire and Rescue recently purchased a new truck, and the suggestion to donate its old truck to the college was approved by City Council. The donation was especially fortuitous for the school because this type of truck can cost more than $2 million and acquiring one is a long, multi-year process.
The director of the Public Safety Institute, Michael Lopez, explained that the truck donation will give the school a new level of ability and self-sufficiency. He is quoted as saying, “While our community partners have been very helpful in lending us trucks and other apparatus when needed, it’s not always possible depending on scheduling and other factors. The donated truck enables us to be self-sufficient, improves cadet training by conducting aerial exercises previously impossible without loaned equipment and allows us to conduct drills that require two trucks to complete. These exercises are important to prepare our students for what they will encounter once on the job.”
As the Public Safety Institute provides such necessary training to keep local families safe, the community is always glad to help the programs the college provides thrive.
Eastpointe Mayor Mike Klinefelt said, “Our firefighters are key to keeping our communities safe. Eastpointe is proud to donate our ladder truck to Macomb Community College for cadets to use in training. Macomb’s program prepares our first responders to be ready on day one so we are happy to provide whatever support we can.”
For more information about Macomb Community College, visit the school’s website.