CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi Fire Department welcomed a brand new fire engine at Fire Station #18 on Ayers Street, a station that was built with voter-approved bonds but has always come up short in terms of equipment and personnel.
Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha was on hand to welcome the station's newest fire truck. Officials said it has been a long time coming, especially in a city that has grown by more than 52,000 people in the last 20 years.
Back in November 2017, the Corpus Christi Fire Department had to pull 12 firefighters from Fire Station #1 to fill the newly built Fire Station #18 on the city's southside. Even though they were promised, the City could not afford to hire new firefighters to fill the new station.
Thursday's unveiling of their brand new fire truck took them one step closer to improving that station's service to the community. Chief Rocha said it was an exciting day for the CCFD, the City and its residents.
"It's got a large tank on it. It pumps up to 2,000 gallons per minute, but it's a brand new fire truck with the latest equipment," Rocha said.
Rocha said it has side-row protection, airbags, and is ultimately a safer engine for firefighters. He also said the public is welcome to tour the fire station any time they want to go by.
With the addition of a new fire truck at Station #18, Rocha said it will relieve stress for some of the other stations when it comes to the number of calls they respond to. They can ultimately do more with another engine added to the fleet.
Chief Rocha said the first hurdle was getting the station approved, and then building it on time and under budget. The next step is the equipment, and the final step, he said, is new personnel.