Oktibbeha County firefighters get much needed upgrade

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Oktibbeha County Firefighters get a much needed upgrade, and it could help county residents with their insurance premiums.

The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors hands over the keys for 2 new pumper trucks to the Sturgis and Bell Schoolhouse Volunteer Fire Departments.

It’s part of the county’s efforts to both provide better fire protection and help residents save money.

The new trucks will help lower the fire rating in the Sturgis and Bell Schoolhouse Districts and that translates to lower insurance premiums to homeowners.

The County tries to buy at least one new truck a year.

“These two trucks are replacing much older trucks. Every 15 years you get your rating on the trucks, and you can apply for an additional five years. These two trucks are actually replacing trucks that are older than that. We have some twenty, twenty-five plus, year trucks, so you can see how far behind we are,” Patrick Warner, Oktibbeha County Fire Coordinator.

Each truck costs the county about 330,000 dollars.