During Hurricane Gustav, East Lincoln Volunteer FireDepartment’s resources were crippled substantially when a tree fellon a department fire truck as firefighters were clearing debrisfrom the road.

But East Lincoln firefighters say that’s all better now after anew 2009 Freightliner business class M2 fire truck from FerraraFire Company was delivered to the Lincoln County courthouseTuesday.

“It looks like we totaled our truck at the right time,” jokedChief Ronnie Killingsworth. “This one is brand new. It has 380miles on it, and it’s top of the line with all the newest safetyand emission control features.”

The truck is also the first of its kind built by Ferrara thisyear, officials said.

Killingsworth said department officials are particularly pleasedbecause the order came through much quicker than anticipated. Itwas set to arrive April 10, but came a little more than two weeksearly.

And should an accident occur in the new truck, it is equippedwith a “black box”-like apparatus that records the speed it wastraveling, the speed at which it stopped and even possibly the tiltat which it took curves. With a simple download to a laptop,department officials can see exactly what each driver was up to oneach run.

The new truck will also be a plus since it will fit down someroads that their larger truck cannot navigate. He said the turnradius is much shorter as well.

On another note, though, Killingsworth said the department didrequest chrome wheel covers.

“It’s a pride thing, but you can also get them to clean thetruck a lot easier when it looks good when they’re done,” he saidwith a laugh.