LAWRENCEBURG, TN — Lawrence County Fire & Rescue is working to add a new capability to its countywide response fleet with the refurbishment of a recently purchased aerial ladder truck.
The department announced Friday that it acquired a used 2002 Pierce 75-foot Quint through a government auction in early July. Once repairs, upgrades and training are complete, the apparatus will enter service as Ladder 50, a shared resource available to departments across Lawrence County.
Fire officials said the growing county has created an increasing need for aerial firefighting capabilities, particularly as larger residential, commercial and industrial developments are constructed. Until now, county departments have relied on aerial apparatus from the City of Lawrenceburg and City of Loretto when ladder trucks were needed.
Lawrence County Fire & Rescue officials expressed appreciation to both cities for responding to those requests while saying the addition of Ladder 50 will give county firefighters another resource of their own.
According to the department, the used Quint was purchased for less than the cost of a new side-by-side utility vehicle. While the truck required repairs and upgrades, officials said it still has significant service life remaining, particularly because it will serve as a specialized apparatus rather than a daily first-out unit.
Firefighters from departments across Lawrence County have been working together on the refurbishment, completing many repairs and upgrades themselves. More technical work has been performed by certified emergency vehicle technicians.
The truck has already passed required third-party testing and now holds current aerial ladder and pump certifications. Crews are waiting for several remaining parts while beginning to install fire hose and other equipment on the apparatus.
Once refurbishment is complete, firefighters from across the county will undergo training on the truck before it is officially placed into service.
The department hopes to have Ladder 50 operational within the next 30 to 60 days. In addition to responding throughout Lawrence County, the apparatus will be available to neighboring communities when requested through mutual aid.
A new 75-foot Quint similar to Ladder 50 would cost an estimated $1.7 million or more, according to the department, with delivery potentially taking as long as three years.
The truck’s designation also carries a local connection. Tennessee’s 95 counties are numbered alphabetically, and Lawrence County is County No. 50, giving the new apparatus its name: Ladder 50.
