Carroll County Fire Department Unveils Four New Trucks

HUNTINGDON (September 30) — The Carroll County Fire Department and Carroll County Mayor Joseph Butler welcomed the community to the Carroll County Civic Center to review the county’s first four of 12 new fire trucks on Tuesday. The four displayed trucks were Fouts 2000 gallon pumper/tanker trucks.

When Jonathan Gaskins became Carroll County’s fire chief in January 2025, fleet management and improvement within the county department became one of his primary initiatives. In July 2025, after several months of planning, Gaskins secured a $5.4 million investment in local fire service from the Carroll County government to purchase twelve brand new trucks from Fouts Fire, Inc. Funds for the new trucks came from the county’s general surplus reserves.

“We are excited about the addition of this new fire apparatus and the enhanced capabilities they bring to our department. This represents a significant upgrade that has been needed for quite some time,” Gaskins said. He said the new units will strengthen the department’s ability to protect the lives and property of county citizens.

The four trucks unveiled Tuesday are bright red pumper/tanker trucks with the capacity to hold up to 2,000 gallons of water. While their main job is to transport water, the trucks can also be used to fight fires. They will go to the county’s fire stations in Mixie, Macedonia, Hollow Rock and Westport.

Bob Dill, assistant fire chief at the Hollow Rock station, called the new tanker trucks a “blessing” to the county fire department.

Prior to receiving these trucks, the average age of the Carroll County Fire Department’s 40-truck fleet was 38 years old, and some experienced mechanical issues that, at times, impaired the department’s response time.

Gaskins said the new tanker trucks will increase operational reliability and reduce response times in the county. Once fully operational, the new tanker trunks will replace some of the older, more problematic trucks.

Because these four pumper/tanker trucks are the first new vehicles the department has received in recent decades, they have newer technologies that the county’s firefighters need to learn.

For one, the trucks have a built-in computer system that helps firefighters adjust the hoses’ water pressure.

There are also two lights on the side of the trucks which indicate the trucks’ water levels. The lights are broken into four sections. If all four sections are green, the water tank is full. If only two or three of the sections are lit blue, the tank is about half-full. If only one section is lit and it’s red, the truck’s water supply is only a quarter tank of the way full.

The trucks also have back-up cameras.

Jeremy McClain, a firefighter at the Westport station, took his time observing the pumper/tanker trucks’ new features. Despite the new trucks being shorter than the tanker trucks in the county’s current fleet, he praised their storage space — both for water and for the firefighters’ gear.

“I’m really excited about them. When they built these things, they pretty much thought about everything. I’m just kind of anxious to see how they run up and down the road,” McClain said.

Gaskins hopes the trucks will be fully operational within 30 days, once he completes the proper paperwork, installs a radio communication system and ensures the firefighters receive proper training.

Mayor Butler and Carroll County Commissioner Jimmy McClure both anticipate the new trucks’ increased reliability could lower insurance costs for Carroll County residents.

The remaining eight trucks — six Fouts fire engines and two Fouts FOUR mini pumper/rescue trucks — are scheduled to arrive in December 2025 or January 2026. These eight trucks will also be strategically distributed to county fire stations.