October 10, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Recently Named Louisiana’s Busiest Fire Station to Receive Recognition and Unveil New Rescue/Hazardous Material Truck

Shreveport’s Cedar Grove fire station nine has recently been named Louisiana’s Busiest Fire Station for 2000, according to a national run survey conducted by Firehouse Magazine.

The station, located at the intersection of West 70^th and Saint Vincent Avenue, houses four fire department response units: engine company, ladder truck company, district chief, and a rescue/hazardous material unit.

Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. at station nine, Mayor Keith Hightower will present the firefighters there with a plaque recognizing their state best 7,485 run incidents in 2000. The next closest fire station in the state was New Orleans’ station 36 with 4,552 incidents. Additionally, at the presentation the fire department will unveil the station’s new state-of-the-art rescue/hazardous material truck to the public.

The new rescue/hazardous material response unit, whose crew ranked 18^th busiest in the nation in the same 2000 Firehouse survey, was built right here in Louisiana by Ferrara Fire Apparatus. The cab seats six, while the truck will carry 24 air-filled breathing bottles, electric Hurst Tool, additional rescue and hazardous material equipment, and a command light tower with six 1500-watt lights. According to Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran the addition of the new rescue truck could not have come at a better time.

"With the current circumstances concerning heightened response preparedness being at the forefront of all public safety agencies, having the necessary equipment available for our firefighters is essential to their ability to carry out the fire department’s mission of protecting life, property, and the environment"

Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran

A representative of Ferrara Fire Apparatus will be on hand to answer questions. This is their first truck built for the Shreveport Fire Department. ###