New fire truck will reach great heights
$750,000 vehicle could be based in Byram, where officials say it will get most use

• February 19, 2008 • Heather Civil • Clarion Ledger.com

Hinds County is buying its first aerial rescue fire truck so it can fight fires and rescue people in buildings taller than two stories.
The county currently relies on aid from the Jackson Fire Department to fight multistory fires, county Emergency Operations Director Larry Fisher said. Hinds needs to keep up with growth and development, he said.
"Hinds County is not a rural county anymore," Fisher said.
The approximately $750,000 truck will have a ladder that can extend 75 feet. That's a pretty good price for such a truck, which can run upward of $1.5 million, Fisher said.
"We're not going for an elaborate truck," he said.
The county has funds already set aside to purchase fire rescue equipment.
It's not official yet, but the truck might be based in Byram, which is where it likely will get the most use, Fisher said.
Byram has four-story hotels in the works, and another two are planned in the vicinity of I-55.
It makes sense to base the truck in Byram because the volunteer fire department is the county's busiest, said Tim Everett, assistant fire chief of the Byram VFD. The department responds to about 100 fire and medical calls per day, he said.
"We don't have anything that can go up four floors," he said.
Fisher said he expects the truck to be purchased soon.
The Byram VFD covers a 60-square-mile area south of Jackson that includes around 7,000 people.
The community is waiting on a state Supreme Court ruling on whether it can incorporate this year.
If it happens, officials plan to help the fire department become a paid organization.
District 4 Supervisor Phil Fisher, whose district includes Byram, said it's a good idea to base the truck there.
Byram is one of the next big growth centers for Hinds County, said Fisher, who is not related to Larry Fisher.
"I think that once they incorporate, a lot of people are going to come in that direction," he said.