Madison Fire and Rescue Department’s new E-One Cyclone fire engine is 34 feet long and cost $541,000. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Madison Fire and Rescue Department has a new fire engine to alleviate city residents from one of life’s most frightening calamities.

The 34-foot long engine is an E-One Cyclone and can pump up to 1,500 gallons per minute,” Capt. Brandy Williams said. The truck can transport up to six firefighters in belted seats. The truck cost $541,000.

This engine “is a custom-built truck and was designed by Madison firefighters who wanted to make sure that the truck was set up to meet the challenges faced in our city,” Williams said. “It appears we were successful in meeting our goal.”

Emergency One Inc. (E-One) of Ocala, Fla. built the engine. This new equipment brings state-of-the art technology into the Madison fleet. The engine will operate from Madison Fire Station 1 on the corner of Mill and Hughes roads.

The engine meets or exceeds the more stringent National Fire Protection Agency guidelines that were enacted after 2003, the timeframe when Madison bought its current engines. “From anti-lock braking to monitoring safety belt usage to extensive reflective striping, the design committee was focused on firefighter safety,” Williams said.

“Obviously, safety is our number 1 priority when we look at the specifications we put on a truck,” Capt. Scott Adams said. “We also spend a lot of time looking for features that will enable us to be more efficient and effective when we are operating on a fire scene.”

One example of efficient equipment is the Compressed Air Foam. This system allows firefighters to better extinguish a fire by increasing effectiveness of fire stream, reducing heat by drastically reducing steam production found in water-alone, fire-attack streams and using much less water and thus reducing water damage within homes.

However, the truck is not limited to just fighting fires and is equipped with medical equipment, jaws-of-life rescue tools and gas monitors that detect carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases.

“This truck addresses scenes we face today but was built with the future in mind,” Adams said. “What we fight today may not be what we fight tomorrow.”