Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On April 1, Currituck County Fire-EMS and Knotts Island volunteers took delivery a refurbished 3,000 gallon fire tanker truck. The refurbished tanker replaces a 1991 1,000 gallon tanker and now doubles the amount of firefighting water available on the island, which is 4,000 gallons total.

The refurbished truck was paid for by the county along with the Knotts Island Volunteer Fire Department’s community fundraising.

The tanker will serve all of Knotts Island and, through a mutual aid agreement, assist the southern end of Virginia Beach with vital firefighting water. The tanker will also give the Knotts Island firefighters the ability to flow 160 gallons of water per minute for 25 continuous minutes.

All of Knotts Island is considered rural and has no fire hydrants. Firefighters must bring their own water via tanker or receive water from a static water source, such as ponds, ditches or sound water. In order to receive water from a static source, a second fire engine is required to syphon the water and pump it through fire hose.

The Knotts Island Fire Station has four career firefighters assigned 24 hours a day who are cross-trained as paramedics; they staff the fire engine and ambulance. The station also includes about 12 active volunteers who reside on Knotts Island. Currently, the fire apparatus assigned to the island consists of a 2013 1,000 gallon fire engine, a 2015 advanced life ssupport ambulance and a 2019 3,000 gallon tanker.

Currituck County Fire-EMS and the volunteer fire departments are always accepting applications for citizens interested in volunteering to serve their community.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS AND EVENTS HERE.

RECENT HEADLINES:

North Carolina business capacity restrictions begin next week

Girl Scouts seek community support for Camp Dogwood donations