Cypress Pointe has recently taken delivery of its second new Brush Truck in just over a year. In May 2023 CPFR placed Brush Truck 228 in service at Station 2 in Cameron, that Brush Truck replaced a 2000 Ford Brush Truck. This week CPFR took delivery of a similar Brush Truck that will be assigned to Station 1 in Vass and be identified as unit number Brush 217.

As with Brush 228, Brush 217 is designed with our community in-mind and will have multiple capabilities. This truck will respond to outside fires including grass fires, woods fires, brush fires and other fires that are outside and may be difficult to access. But this truck is also designed to support the department and community on other call types, such as storm damage, downed power lines and trees. This unit can also be quickly equipped to with medical equipment to respond to medical calls when necessary.

Brush 217 is a Ford F-550 Chassie with an extended cab and a body designed and constructed by Southeastern Specialty Vehicles located in Henderson, North Carolina. This truck has a 300-gallon water tank, a 10-gallon Class A Firefighting Foam Tank, a booster line for outside fires and a 1.75-inch attack line if a larger fire is encountered. This truck is equipped with four-wheel drive and a bumper mounted winch.

Brush 217 is actually replacing a Brush 248 which is located at Station 3 and was a 2000 Ford F-350. Brush 248 has already been sold and the funds from that sale were utilized to purchase Brush 217. The current Brush 217 will be relocated to Station 3 and renumbered as Brush 248.

CPFR has an Apparatus Replacement Plan that has allowed us to replace two Brush Trucks, a Tanker and two Quick Response Vehicles in recent years with obtaining loans. We have been very fortunate to not to have to finance vehicles, this allows us to save taxpayers money because we do not have to pay interest on those loans.

Department staff are currently installing equipment and training on the new truck, it is expected that Brush 217 will be in-service later this month