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June 4, 2009

Shiny as new

Inola fire benefits from truck, student paint job

By Joy Hampton

June 4, 2009 — INOLA– Fire Chief Barney Grigg is proud of the 1991 three-quarter ton truck his department recently received through the U.S. Forestry.

If a 1991 model doesn’t sound all that exciting, consider that the Inola fire chief used it to replace a 1971 model. The new vehicle is a retired military truck.

Students from Northeast Technology Center in Pryor painted the military green truck fire engine red, and now it looks practically new.

“It was a big savings for me,” said Grigg.

The truck will be used as a rural fire bush truck used primarily to fight grass fires.

“This is a professional paint job,” said Ray Darnell, NTC instructor. “I want the taxpayers to know what a great job these kids are doing.”

Grigg said he was pleased with the outcome of the paint job.

“That’s the best use taxpayers can get,” said Grigg. “They went way above the call.”

Grigg said they even sprayed in a bedliner.

Each school year, NTC Pryor’s auto class trains students by working on vehicles in the community. NTC students come from schools in the surrounding area including Inola.

Darnell said Chrysler donated a hood for the truck.

The Inola Fire Department also received a GMC tanker truck they will convert to use. The donated vehicles are coordinated through Melvin Mashburn, Grand Gateway Fire Coordinator.

“It’s a good program,” said Grigg.

Recycling these retired trucks to volunteer fire departments like Inola allows those departments to have equipment they might not otherwise be able to afford on typically tight budgets.



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