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MENTONE – The Mentone Fire Department will be able to purchase equipment for a new fire truck to make it operational due to a donation from the Mentone Chamber of Commerce.
Mentone Chamber of Commerce presented a check of $20,000 to the Mentone Fire Department Monday.
Rita Price Simpson, Mentone Chamber of Commerce president, said some of the money given was raised through various contests during the Egg Festival and money reserved by the Chamber for a big project.
The money will be used for equipment for a new truck. Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Lybarger said the fire department has had the truck for a couple months, but had been working on purchasing it for about three years.
He said the fire department is working on purchasing a new jaws of life set that’s all battery powered, Dewalt tools and fans.
The fire department announced they were doing a fundraiser to purchase the equipment in the spring. Simpson said by the end of the fundraiser, the Chamber knew how much money the fire department needed and knew the Chamber could pick up the slack.
“It’s going to be great,” Simpson said, stating the donation will allow the truck to be fully operational. Simpson also noted the truck had Tippecanoe Valley colors on it as well.
Lybarger said the fully operational truck will allow the fire department to get out into the community more as far as any kind of extrication or emergency they have. It will also make things a little bit quicker for them.
