Mayor Myrrl Smith stands beside Blanca's new fire truck. The 1990 Ford Western States Pumper was purchased with a combination of a FEMA Assistance to Firefighter's grant, a USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant, help from the Firefighter's Charitable Foundation and matching funds from the Town of Blanca. The new engine seats 5 firefighters, has a 1000 gallon tank and a 1200 gallons per minute pump. It also has more compartments to take equipment to a fire scene. The pumper was delivered during the pre-Christmas snowstorm on December 20th, 2006 and was unloaded with the help of firefighters Cole Wakasugi (new fire chief), Jeff Torr and Ben Jimenez.
The old 1975 fire truck, shown below, has only a 300 gallon tank and a 250 gallon per minute pump. The new truck will enhance the departments ability to respond to fires and will increase the safety of the firefighters.
Mike Bennett, the director of USDA Rural Development in Colorado, presents the Town with a check for $25,000 to help with the purchase of the new fire truck.
Left to right are Mike Bennet, Joe Kost, Dolores Sanchez-Maes, Patti Snidow from the Colorado office of Rural Development, Blanca Trustees Paul Wiescamp, Lucien Velasquez and Blanca Mayor Pro Tem Cole Wakasugi.
The new fire truck is about to be unloaded during a snow storm.