Bogue Chitto Volunteer Fire Chief Sedgie Mercier has long beenproud of his big white truck, Engine 10.

Now Engine 10 is joined in the truck bay at the corner ofHighway 51 and Bogue Chitto Road by Engine 12, a brand-new Ferrarapumper/tanker fire truck from Holden, La. Mercier said the vehiclewas purchased in part by Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Funds, whichpay up to $70,000 toward a new fire truck.

The truck itself cost $175,000 altogether, he said. Other fundsto pay for the truck will come from millage revenue the departmentreceives.

The 1,500-gallon tank pumps at a rate of 1,250 gallons perminute.

“We had to replace a truck to be able to keep our insurancerating,” Mercier said, adding that the Bogue Chitto fire districtis currently holding to its Level Eight rating.

“Folks need to know that saves them so much money on insurance,”he said.

Engine 12 did not arrive without incident, though. The truck wassupposed to be on location two weeks ago, but did not pass finalinspection.

“There were some manufacturing difficulties,” Mercier said. “Theroad test didn’t work out, so they had to take it back in and getit fixed. Otherwise it would have been here two weeks ago.”

Assistant Fire Chief Rick Hambach said the fact that thedepartment is able to accommodate as many working trucks as it hasnow is a testament to how far the fire service has come.

“Back when he was growing up, they didn’t get as many newtrucks, and now we have a 2000 and a 2010,” he said.

Mercier agreed, adding that he started in the service more than20 years ago, and that fire departments have come a long way in thequality of equipment they’re able to acquire.

The department currently responds to fires in the Bogue Chittodistrict, as well as supplying mutual aid to several otherdepartments in the county. In addition to the pumper/tanker, BCVFDalso has a pumper, a tanker and a brush truck that actively respondto fires.

Mercier said the new truck will fit nicely into that scheme.

“We hope to support the community better with it, and we hopethey’ll support us as well,” he said. “We hope they’ll see what itis we’re trying to do here.”