MONTICELLO — The Monticello Fire Department will be receiving anew truck more suited to their needs, but they won’t be able to useit until probably next year, city officials said.

Through an agreement with manufacturer E-One, the city isselling its 2000 Rescue Pumper and will receive a new 2004 RescuePumper in exchange for free, said Mayor David Nichols.

“The 2000 truck did not meet the needs of the Monticello FireDepartment, and E-One has agreed to build the town another truck atno additional cost,” Nichols said.

To offset the cost of giving the town a new truck, E-One willkeep the money paid for the 2000 truck. The 2000 truck willcontinue to be used in Monticello until it is sold, the mayorsaid.

Interest in the truck has been relatively high, he said, andE-One is currently negotiating a sale to another firedepartment.

“The truck may be sold to a station in North Carolina,” Nicholssaid.

City officials do not know when they will receive the new truck,he said, because the 2000 truck must be sold. Also, the city needsto finalize the design specifications for the 2004 model.

“There is no time frame because the town is still consideringsome options and designs for the truck,” Nichols said. “There willbe more storage space, some cab alterations and some equipmentmodifications to the new truck.”

The time between when the 2000 truck is sold and the 2004arrives will not affect the town’s fire rating, he said.

“As long as we have a truck on order it does not affect yourfire rating,” Nichols said. “And we’ll still have two front-linetrucks we can use.”

Fire ratings are used by insurance companies to pricepolicies.

The department owns two other rescue pumpers, a 1985 and a 1993model.