Warwick Fire Department unveils new $40,000 support vehicle

Warwick - The Warwick Fire Department has taken delivery of its new support vehicle, a 2006 Ford F-350 with Crew Cab and diesel engine. The new apparatus will be used for many purposes, including traffic control at emergency scenes, public service calls such as basement pump-outs and downed wires and transporting miscellaneous equipment including specialized Ice/Cold Water Rescue gear. The truck is also equipped with an 8,000-pound winch, an inverter for providing electrical power and quartz scene lights. During a presentation ceremony at Warwick Station One last month, Chief Frank Corkum Jr. thanked state Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt for securing the funds - $40,000 - to purchase the vehicle. The chief also acknowledged Leo Kaytes of Leo Kaytes Ford and Roger Showalter of Showalter’s Equipment for their roles in acquiring the truck and building the specialized utility body. Corkum noted that “this is truly a community vehicle in the sense that it was purchased from a local dealer and outfitted by Showalter’s Equipment of Florida, NY.” Frank Fotino, chairman of the Warwick Fire District, and Commissioner Michael Batz, also worked closely with the assemblywoman during the grant process. Planning for the truck began five years ago when Batz, who was chief at the time, identified the need for such a vehicle. Corkum handed over the truck’s keys to Captain Andy Layman of Warwick’s Excelsior Hose Company No. 1, which will be responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the new piece of equipment. The new rig was pressed into service less than an hour after the ceremony when it responded to a motor vehicle accident on Route 17A.