The city of Columbia Falls made history July 16 when it took receipt of a new fire engine jointly paid for by the city and the rural fire service area.

Columbia Falls Fire Chief Rick Hagen said that considering the cost of equipment today, splitting the cost makes a lot more sense.

The city’s and the rural fire service area’s shares were based on the number of call and the taxable value of property in each area. In both cases, the split came to nearly the same exact number — one third city and two-thirds rural.

The rural fire service area will pay $205,762 for the new fire engine, and the city will pay $115,365. On July 16, the Columbia Falls City Council unanimously approved an application for a state Intercap loan for its share.

Hagen said the new truck will be kept at the city fire hall and will be the first responder to all fire calls — inside or outside the city.

The pumper truck was built by Rosenbauer America in Lyons, S.D. A family-owned manufacturing business founded in 1866, Rosenbauer is the world’s largest manufacturer of fire equipment, with 11 manufacturing plants around the world.

The engine has a 1,000 gallon water tank, a 1,500 gallon per minute pump and a 20 gallon foam tank. Five of the six seats for firefighters have space inside the seats to hold air tanks for self-contained breathing apparatus.

Hagen was especially happy about new features designed to keep hoses and equipment off the top of the truck and down low where his fire crews would be working. That includes storage for ladders and hook-poles and several passages for routing hoses through from one side of the truck to the other.

Radio equipment for the new fire engine will come from the pumper truck the city donated to the Saco fire department last year. New aluminum wheels will be purchased locally.

Officials in Libby apparently took notice of the new fire engine as it passed through on its way to Columbia Falls from Spokane, Wash., two weeks ago. Libby officials are interested in acquiring a new pumper truck — and how Columbia Falls made a joint purchase with its rural fire service area.