POCATELLO — It’s 60 feet long, bends in the middle and carries triple the lifesaving equipment of its predecessor — and Pocatello firefighters can’t wait to put the city’s new $1.8 million aerial truck into service.

Sleek, sophisticated and fully loaded with modern amenities, the new truck features a 107-foot-tall ladder and a tiller design with a fifth wheel in the middle for ultimate maneuverability across the city.

The new apparatus replaces an aerial truck in service for more than 20 years and provides greater accessibility for crews to combat fires with a plethora of new and exciting tools.

“It’s absolutely a very fun apparatus to learn how to drive,” said Steve Crothers, president of The Response Group, a Texas-based organization that has been training the Pocatello fire team. “This (rig) is what we consider the old hook and ladder. A small percentage of the National Fire Service still operates these. They made a huge resurgence in the last 15 years back in the fire service, and firefighters get super excited about the fact that they get to use this rig.”

Crothers also spoke about the modular design of the new truck and its many capabilities, which include a pump, ladder, toolbox and a massive amount of storage for various ladders the department deploys.

“It’s a jack of all trades,” Crothers said. “That’s what makes this rig so special, because it brings all of the different disciplines of apparatus into one.”

Over the next few months, Crothers will help train members of the Pocatello Fire Department on how to navigate all the features of the new truck and how to drive the massive, mechanical wonder.

Fire trucks typically have a standard straight frame, but the new rig can bend in the middle and features an additional cab area in the rear where another driver will focus on steering just the back portion.

The new truck will also have greater ability to help residents who could be trapped on the upper floor of a building or are in a hard-to-access area of town, Crothers said.

“Another major advantage of this apparatus is the sheer size of compartmentation,” Crothers said. “With your typical standard, older straight-frame trucks, you’re looking at anywhere from 200 to 250 cubic feet of storage compartment. That’s where all the life-safety equipment is. This apparatus can get up to about 600 cubic feet of storage, which is a significant impact to the citizens here because now you’re bringing way more emergency lifesaving equipment to the scene.”

From the jaws of life to extra oxygen containers, axes, shovels, extinguishers and more, the increased capacity of the new truck will streamline the process for local firefighters to respond to a potential fire hazard more quickly. The new truck also features two outriggers or stabilizers, which help deploy the rig with greater speed once it reaches its location.

“Another component of this apparatus that is unique is because of its length, it can actually bend around a collision scene, protecting all the firefighters at the scene,” Crothers said. “It will literally become a barricade, and that is a huge benefit for the citizens that are in an emergency that they’re trying to deal with.”

The rig also has an onboard generator and uses the HAAS Alert system, which notifies drivers of incoming emergency vehicles and connects vehicles for better visibility and faster response times.

The truck will be first in the department’s response for structure fires or structure protection on a wildland fire within the vicinity of Pocatello.

Firefighters like engineer Jordan VanEvery, who is receiving dedicated training for the new apparatus, said he is prioritizing ensuring that he and others on the team can operate the truck through the city safely to provide the best service to residents in the area.

While no official timeline has been set, VanEvery hopes in a couple of months Pocatello firefighting personnel will be trained enough that the fire team feels comfortable putting the rig on the streets.

“I think that this truck is going to be a great resource for the citizens,” VanEvery said. “It’s going to be a great resource for the department. We’re going to be able to do a lot of good stuff with it, and it’s super maneuverable for our streets, which is going to be very beneficial for us. All of our guys are really excited to be able to have this piece of equipment, to learn all of its facets, to learn how to drive it, to learn how to operate it and become proficient with it.”

To honor the newly acquired emergency vehicle, dubbed Truck 1, the city of Pocatello is holding a ribbon-cutting event, open house and push-in ceremony beginning at 5:15 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Pocatello Fire Department, Fire Station No. 1, 408 E. Whitman St.

“The push-in ceremony is a time-honored fire service tradition dating back to the days of horse-drawn fire equipment, when firefighters would physically push their apparatus back into the bay,” the city said in a recent news release. “Today, it symbolizes the welcoming of new apparatus into service and the commitment of firefighters to protecting the community.”

Pocatello Fire Chief Ryan O’Hearn added, “This new aerial truck represents a major investment in public safety and emergency response. We’re excited to show the community what it can do and to carry on a proud fire service tradition with this ceremony.”