By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

After 16 months of planning, the Pontiac Fire Department’s newest engine joined the fleet last week.

The new truck, which is described as a combination of an engine and a heavy rescue truck, came at a cost of over $600,000 from the Pontiac Rural Fire Protection District, and Chief Scott Runyon says this truck is a definite upgrade for the department.

“We just got that in. We’re training on it and getting the equipment mounted on it. This truck was designed to hold all of our current equipment. Each cabinet and each compartment was specifically designed for certain tools, so everything has its place. It’s all organized. It holds a lot more than what we ever carried before. What would take two trucks to carry in previous years will now take one,” Runyon said.