| The Golden’s Bridge Fire Department today proudly unveiled its newest apparatus, Engine 140, a custom fire engine with cutting edge technology and innovation designed to enhance emergency response capabilities and provide superior protection to residents, businesses, and institutions throughout the community.
Manufactured by 4Guys Fire Trucks of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, Engine 140 represents the latest advancements in firefighting technology, safety, and operational efficiency. The apparatus was custom-designed to meet the specific needs of the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department and the unique emergency response challenges in the fire district, whose coverage area includes the Town of Lewisboro’s hamlet of Golden’s Bridge and swaths of Somers and North Salem.
Built on a rugged Spartan chassis and powered by a Cummins X12 diesel engine, the new apparatus features a custom rear body designed to maximize equipment storage and accessibility while improving firefighter safety and efficiency.
Engine 140 will serve as the GBFD’s primary fire attack engine. It is specifically equipped to respond to a wide range of emergencies and is customized to meet the topography of the fire district and unique coverage area – which includes the Metro North railroad station, the Interstate 684 corridor, and a church, school, retail shopping center, professional offices, and large business campuses, including a car dealership and plumbing supply house.
The new apparatus, which will be dispatched to structure, brush and vehicle fires, and vehicle accidents, combines advanced firefighting capabilities with enhanced safety features, making it one of the most capable engines placed into service in GBFD history.
The new engine represents years of fiscal responsibility and practical and collaborative planning by the Golden’s Bridge Fire District and Fire Department, according to Fire Commissioner Edward Brancati.
“This is an essential investment in emergency response that will serve on the frontlines of our community well into the future,” said Brancati, chairman of the district’s Board of Fire Commissioners. “It will enhance the safety of our volunteer firefighters, strengthen the department’s emergency response abilities and operational preparedness, and provide an even greater level of protection to our residents, businesses, and institutions.”
Brancati added, “As emergency response challenges continue to evolve, the district is committed to providing the highest level of service through ongoing training, modernization, and investment in apparatus.”
At the heart of Engine 140 is a Waterous 2,000-gallon-per-minute, top-mount midship fire pump capable of delivering large volumes of water during firefighting operations. The elevated mount pump position enables firefighters to operate with enhanced visibility and, in fire events involving vehicles, trucks and tractor trailers on 684, keeps firefighters safely out of the flow of traffic.
The engine carries a 1,000-gallon water tank, 1,500 feet of 5-inch large-diameter supply hose, and 1,400 feet of attack hose, providing firefighters with the resources necessary to establish reliable water supplies and deploy multiple hand lines during emergency operations.
In addition to its water supply capacity, the apparatus carries an 80-gallon Class B foam cell and a complete foam delivery system capable of suppressing fuel-fed vehicle and tanker truck fires, according to Golden’s Bridge Fire Chief Albert Melillo, who noted that Engine 140’s features were designed to address structure firefighting needs, as well as the hazards associated with emergencies on the 684 corridor within the fire district’s geographical boundaries.
“The Golden’s Bridge community, and those in the Somers and North Salem portions of the district, should be proud of the new Engine 140,” Melillo said. “Our personnel are very appreciative of the fire district’s commitment to outfitting the department with the apparatus and equipment, and numerous training opportunities, that keeps our firefighters safe and enables us to provide high-quality emergency services to our residents, businesses and institutions.”
Additional features include a spacious six-person cab with enhanced crew safety systems, modern seating designed for self-contained breathing apparatus compatibility, upgraded LED emergency lighting for improved visibility in all weather conditions, a digital control interface that streamlines pump operations and system monitoring, state-of-the-art camera system, multiple storage compartments for specialized hydraulic and standard rescue tools – among them a Hurst combination cutting and spreading tool – used in all types of emergencies, ventilation equipment, medical response gear, a Harrison 10-kilowatt onboard generator, and a 15-foot Will-Burt night scan light tower that provides powerful scene illumination during nighttime and low-visibility operations.
The arrival of Engine 140 marks the culmination of several years of planning, design, and construction. The apparatus replaces a frontline engine that faithfully served the Golden’s Bridge Fire District for more than 30 years. While the retired apparatus provided decades of dependable service, advances in firefighting technology, firefighting safety systems, and emergency response capabilities made the replacement necessary, according to Fire Commissioner Robert Melillo.
“The new apparatus reflects the commitment of the Board of Fire Commissioners to the protection, safety and well-being of our community and firefighters,” said Melillo, an ex-fire chief who is now in his 38th year with the department. “It was a long process with an enormous number of hours spent on reviewing and monitoring the construction every step of the way – which included multiple trips to the Pennsylvania manufacturing plant. It took a team effort to make this project a reality.”
He oversaw the apparatus construction process and performed the final factory inspection alongside Brancati and Fire Commissioner Robert Kelly before representatives from 4Guys Fire Trucks delivered Engine 140 to the Golden’s Bridge Firehouse.
Engine 140 will be officially commissioned into service on July 4, 2026 to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. “The historic date marks not only the celebration of our Nation’s founding, but also this new addition to the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department fleet,” Brancati said. |
